


The Allen Family: When Lightning Strikes

by QueenAllen1982 (DeansWinterRose)



Series: The Allen Family [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Barry as the Flash flirts with Iris, Best Friends, Brothers & Sisters - Freeform, Canon Het Friendship, Canon Het Relationship, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Friends, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Female Friendship, Fluff and Smut, French Kissing, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gentle Kissing, Grace and Cisco are inseparable, Het, Het Relationship, Kissing, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Neck Kissing, Oral Sex, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Romantic Gestures, Sex, Shower Sex, Sisters, Sleepovers, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Team, Team Bonding, Team Flash, Team as Family, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2019-08-21 09:51:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 174,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16574243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeansWinterRose/pseuds/QueenAllen1982
Summary: Barry & Grace Allen have experienced one of the most tragic events anyone one child can experience--the death of their mother and their father being convicted of the crime. Despite all that, they've come out on the other side by relying on each other and their foster father, Joe West and his daughter Iris.Present day, the Particle Accelerator is the biggest and most exciting news to happen to Central City, but no one expected it to bring the tragedy that had happened. From the explosion, people died, and others were injured, including siblings, Barry and Grace. They both wake up from their comas discovering they have meta-human abilities that they've only read about in comic books. Can they adjust and become the heroes that their City needs?Could becoming the Flash help Barry let his childhood crush know he's in love with her? And could a chance meeting that turned into a close friendship turn into something more between Cisco and Grace?





	1. The Cover Art & Cast

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS A CANON-DIVERGENCE
> 
> I'M GOING TO DO A COMPLETE REWRITE OF THIS STORY. THINKING ABOUT IT NOW. I REALLY HATE WHAT I DID TO CISCO. SO, PLEASE STAND BY AS I REWRITE THE STORY.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/159126548@N03/45754525272/in/dateposted-public/)

* * *

**BARRY ALLEN, 25**

**IRIS WEST, 25**

**GRACE ALLEN, 23**

**CISCO RAMON**

**CAITLIN SNOW**

**HARRISON WELLS (EOBARD THAWNE)**


	2. The Particle Accelerator

****

**-9 Months Ago….**

 

Grace Allen placed the black and white image into the water and then she hung it on the line inside of her darkroom. She felt the buzz in her back pocket alerting her to a text message. She walked out of the darkroom quickly and then closed the door. She pulled her phone from her pocket and opened the message.

**[From Josh]: You still going to the gathering of the geeks with your brother?**

She rolled her eyes. Joshua Blake and herself had been dating for almost 14 months and honestly she couldn’t remember why she got with him. He didn’t like a lot of the things she did. Like her brother and Iris. Although she had told Josh on their first date that she was very close to her brother and Iris West and if he couldn’t handle that then ended now.

Then she thought he really did genuinely like Iris and Barry, but as their months had come she was discovering that Josh didn’t like either of them really. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to be with him. She texted him back:

**[To Josh]: Yes, I’m still going. I promised Barry. And no, Joshua, you don’t have to come. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.**

She smiled when her phone rang and a picture of her brother and herself popped up. She answered, “Hey, if isn’t my favorite brother.”

He laughed. “I’m your only brother, Kiddo.”

“True. Which is why you’re my favorite. What’s up?”

He chuckled. “Good to know. You still coming?”

“Yep. I will meet you and Iris there before Dr. Wells makes his speech.”

“Good. Can’t wait to see you, Kiddo.”

“Me too. Love you.”

“Love you,” he said and hung up. She glanced at her watch and swore to herself. She quickly gathered up her camera and her supplies, high-tailing it out the door. From her apartment the local coffee shop was only a block away so she just walked. She smiled at Iris when she walked into the Jitters.

She and Iris were like sisters. They had been friends through Grace’s brother, Barry’s friendship with her, but over the almost decade and half that she and her brother had been living with Iris and her dad, Joe they’d become her family. Iris becoming like a big sister to her.

“Hey, Gracie, what can I get you?”

“Um….pumpkin spice cappuccino, please?”

“Coming right up.” She walked around the counter and started making the cappuccino.

Grace approached the counter. Iris looked over her shoulder at Barry’s little sister. She actually looked a little sad. “Are you okay?”

She shrugged. “Have you ever felt like you made a huge mistake?”

“What do you mean?”

“Me and Josh.”

Iris walked to the counter and capped the takeout cup. “What’s going on?”

“He hates my brother….and you.”

“He told you this?”

She shook her head. She showed her the text message. Iris read it and then looked at Grace. “Wow….really? He always seemed so cool around me and Barry.”

She nodded. “It was all an act apparently. The other night too he told me I should get a ‘real’ job. That photography wasn’t going to pay crap.”

Iris’ brow furrowed. “That’s kind of a jerk move.”

She nodded. “Yep.”

Iris handed her the cup and took the money from her. “Gracie, you deserve someone so much better than that. Someone who will know how special you are.”

She sighed. “I know, but it’s a little difficult when your brain is bigger then most men’s egos.” She scratched her forehead and then looked at her. “I mean, besides Joe, you and Barry are the only ones who have ever accepted that my brain is huge.” She shrugged.

Iris walked around the counter and took her hand. “But, Sweetheart, there is a guy out there somewhere that will accept you for you and you know it.”

She sighed. She knew that Iris was right, but she wanted it to happen now, not later. “I know.” She looked at her watch and sighed. “I gotta go. I have a job interview.”

Iris smiled. “Good luck and you gotta tell me about it when you meet up with us.”

She nodded. “You know I will.” She pulled her phone from her pocket and headed out as she looked at the address for the interview. Before she could look up or anything, she felt herself literally bump into someone. She stumbled, dropping her phone and her camera bag. Keeping a hold of her cup, she looked up and her heart literally skipped a beat.

Cisco Ramon looked at the person he had bumped into. She was absolutely stunning. Brown hair and big light blue eyes. An amazing mouth and a body to match. When her eyes met his he felt a tightening low in his gut.

He was cute. He was shorter than her. Maybe about a half an inch and to an inch, with black hair that went to his shoulders and dark eyes. He wore a S.T.A.R. Labs hoodie and held a cell phone in his hand. She sighed. “Sorry about that.”

He smiled and she literally thought her heart would beat out of her chest at rapid speed. “Don’t be. I think it was my fault.”

She put her coffee on a nearby table and crouched down to pick up her stuff. As she did, the guy joined her. He started gathering the papers and other things that slid out of her bag. “Thank you,” she said taking the papers from him. She looked around to make sure she got everything.

His entire body was warm and his heart was thudding against his chest like a bass drum. He held out a hand to her and she gladly took the assistance as they stood.

When they hands touched there seemed to be this instant heat that passed between them. By the sudden shift in her gaze he knew she felt it too. “My name’s Cisco……Cisco Ramon.”

She smiled. She liked the sound of it in her head. “Hi, Cisco. I’m Grace Allen.”

“That’s a pretty name,” he murmured.

“Thank you. My mom thought so.”

He smiled and they departed. She went out of the shop and he went to the counter.

From her spot in the store, Iris watched the exchanged between Grace and the dark haired guy. She smiled. There was an immediate attraction between the two of them. It was even felt from where she stood. She watched until Grace rushed out the door and the dark haired guy walked to the counter. She smiled. “What can I get you?”

“I need four of them.” It was ridiculous to feel this way about someone he barely even met, but he could still feel her. Was that strange?

“Sir?” Iris asked, with a small smile.

Coming back to reality he looked at her. “Sorry about that.” He sighed and ordered his first. Then, Ronnie’s, Caitlin’s and Dr. Wells.

Iris stood with her back to the man as she contemplated what she was about to do. Grace needed a guy that looked at her the way that this guy did in the few seconds that they had met. She bit her lip and then threw caution to the wind. She pulled a napkin from the dispenser and quickly jotted a number down. She turned and slid his coffee and the napkin to him.

“Wha….?”

She smiled. “The girl you were talking to. She’s a friend.” She nodded to the napkin. “That’s her phone number.”

His heart literally skipped a beat before it raced. “Really?” She nodded. He smiled and thanked her, “But knowing my luck with women she’s probably got someone and doesn’t need some awkward mechanical engineer scientist phone stalking her.”

She laughed softly and capped the other drinks. She recited what the orders were and then took the money. She gave him his change and then smiled at him. “Can I let you in on a secret?”

“Uh….sure?”

“Her boyfriend’s a jerk.”

“Uh-huh,” he said cautiously. Usually if he went any further with conversations like this it caused him to have a beat down of the century. “Look….” He glanced at her nametag. “….Iris, I appreciate the information, but I really don’t want to get my ass kicked by some jock.”

She smiled. “Normally, I’d agree with you and back off, but something tells me you’d be way different than Josh is.”

“Could we move this along?”

Cisco looked over his shoulder and then up to a very tall man, irritated that they had made him late. “Sorry,” he muttered. He quickly paid for the drinks and then quickly left.

* * *

 

Cisco got back to S.T.A.R Labs and handed out the coffees to everyone. He took his and sat down. He began pounding at the keys, but he couldn’t seem to get her out of his head enough to concentrate on what he was doing. He had to do the finishing touches on the Particle Accelerator before it went online tonight. He pulled out the napkin from his pocket and looked at it. What harm would it do to at least text her?

“Hey, Cisco, whatcha got?”

He looked up at Ronnie and shrugged. He threw the napkin on the desk and sighed. Ronnie looked at the number and then his friend. “Who is she?”

“A very beautiful brunette with these blue eyes that….” He shook his head. “Guys like me are never that lucky. Besides, she’s got a boyfriend.”

“So, why did she give you her number if she has a boyfriend?”

“She didn’t,” he answered, picking up his coffee. “Her friend did. Telling me as she did so that the boyfriend’s a jerk and to give it a shot.”

“Well, are you?” Caitlin asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Like I said, guys like me are never that lucky to get a girl like her.”

Ronnie tapped his shoulder and picked up the number. “Text her. At least that way if she turns you down then you didn’t really lose out or anything.”

Cisco sighed and pulled his phone out. He put her number into his phone and then shot her a text.

* * *

 

Grace almost came out of the building skipping she was so excited. She got the job. She was now the photo-graphics editor for the Central City Picture News. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and shot a group text to Barry, Joe and Iris telling them: **_I GOT THE JOB!!!!! YOU ARE NOW TEXTING THE NEW PHOTO-GRAPHICS EDITOR OF THE PICTURE NEWS!!!_**

She would have done the same for Josh, but he wasn’t too thrilled when she had told him she had sent in her resume and got a call back. So, she decided to keep it to the small circle she knew would be happy for her. She smiled when hugely when the first text was from her brother.

**[From Barry]: Oh, Gracie, that’s great! Congratulations! I’m SO proud of you.**

**[To Barry]: Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.**

**[From Barry]: Yes, you could. You’re an Allen. We can do anything, Kiddo. Gotta go give results to Singh. We have to celebrate. Your pick.**

Her smile widened even more when she got a text from Joe next.

**[From Joe]: That’s so great, Sweetheart! I’m so proud of you! And so would your dad. We have to celebrate.**

Her heart thudded and her eyes pricked with tears. Her dad. God….she hadn’t thought of him. Dr. Henry Allen was currently up at Iron Heights serving a life sentence for what she and her brother believed was for a crime he hadn’t committed. He didn’t kill their mother, Nora that night 14 years before.

Her phone vibrated again with another text message. She smiled when she seen Iris’ message: **YAY! We are SO celebrating. You pick. I’ll get Barry and dad.**

She laughed. Then her phone vibrated again with another message.

**[From Unknown]: Hey, Grace. It’s Cisco, the dork from the coffee place?**

She smiled when she read the message. She quickly put the number into her phone. **[To Cisco]: I don’t remember meeting a dork, but I do remember meeting a very cute guy. Curious….how’d you’d get my number? We hadn’t gotten there yet.**

**[From Cisco]: Your friend, Iris at the coffeehouse.**

She laughed and stopped and moved off the sidewalk and stood at the edge of the park. Leave it to Iris to do something like that. **[To Cisco]: You must have made quite an impression on her.**

**[Cisco]: Why do you say that?**

**[To Cisco]: Because Iris usually doesn’t give out my number to anyone. She and my brother are way too protective for that.**

**[From Cisco]: *shrugs* Don’t know how. We didn’t really talk all that much.**

On a whim, Grace glanced at the time on the phone and then texted: **[To Cisco]: Wanna meet up for lunch? I got some really great news and thought that maybe I’d celebrate with an ice cream sundae.**

* * *

 

Cisco sighed. He looked at Ronnie and Caitlin then Dr. Wells. He rolled his chair to his friends. “Do you think Wells would have a coronary if I asked to take lunch right now?”

Caitlin glanced at her watch and then looked at Cisco. “Why?”

“Apparently, Grace—that’s the girl at the coffee place—wants to meet and have ice cream sundaes.”

Caitlin’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Because she got some really good news and wants to celebrate.”

“With ice cream sundaes? What is she twelve?” Caitlin shot out sarcastically.

He laughed. “Trust me, she didn’t look like she was twelve.”

Ronnie looked over his shoulder at Dr. Wells and then looked at Cisco. “Do you think you could suggest doing it later?”

Cisco sighed and typed a message back to her.

Grace read the message: **[To Grace]: Can we meet later?**

She smiled and typed: **[To Cisco]: I don’t think so. I figured if we meet now then you could be back to S.T.A.R. Labs by the time that you need to be before the Particle Accelerator goes online.**

He smiled and showed Ronnie. He smirked and looked at him. “Well, she’s observant.” He exhaled and looked at Wells again and then looked back at him. “Go. I’ll cover for you.”

“Ronnie!”

Ronnie shook his head. “It’s okay, Cait. Trust me.” He kissed her hair. He looked at Cisco. “Go. Get a date this time.”

He smiled. “Thanks, Ronnie. I owe you one.” He quickly grabbed his coat and rushed out the door. He texted Grace: **On my way. Where do you wanna meet?**

She smiled and texted back: **The park. 15 minutes.**

She walked across the street and walked into her building. She jogged up the steps and walked into her apartment. She put her stuff down on the couch and rushed into her room. She played with her hair and checked her makeup before rushing back out again.

She got to Central City Plaza Park in enough time to seem like she was waiting for a couple of minutes when Cisco showed up. She smiled, hands in her pockets. “Hi.”

His heart hammered in his chest as he looked at her. “Hi. I thought you would have politely told me about your boyfriend or something.”

She smiled at him. “Why would I do that?”

He shrugged. “Because that’s usually my luck with girls like you.”

“Girls like me?” she asked, looping her arm through his and headed for the ice cream shop.

“From my experience girls who are hot and beautiful usually don’t go for the awkwardly geeky guy.”

She laughed softly. “Normally your assessment of the average woman would be correct, Mr. Ramon, but I’m not your average girl.” She smirked at him. “And you haven’t met my brother.”

He chuckled. “Oh, yeah?” He pulled the door to the shop open and she walked in and he right after.

She nodded as they approached the line. “He’s a forensic scientist at the CCPD. And he’s been into highly geeky stuff since I can remember.” She leaned into him. “Besides, I’ve always found highly geeky guys amazingly hot.”

He gaped at her. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “Oh, yeah.” She shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure why.” She smiled at the girl at the counter. “Hey, Rachel, can I get 2 medium hot fudge sundaes, please?”

“Absolutely.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“Come here a lot, huh?”

She laughed. “My mom and dad knew the owners. We used to come here to celebrate something big in our lives.” She looked into his eyes. “Barry’s always made sure even though dad’s not around and mom’s gone that we kept some of our traditions alive.”

“That’s cool.” He thanked the girl behind the counter and handed her a $10. “Keep the change.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

They took a seat at the window and each took a couple of bites of the ice cream before Cisco broke the silence. “So, what happened to your parents?”

She winced. This was usually where she lost her dates if she didn’t lose them with the fact that she had a geeky older brother. “Isn’t dishing family details like a fourth date thing?”

He laughed. He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t usually get past the second.”

She stopped and gaped at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Usually by then I go all geek on them and lose them totally.”

She smiled. “Well, don’t worry about me with the geek thing. My brother spent his weekends doing science projects in our foster father’s garage.” She cleared her throat. “My mom was murdered when I was nine years old.”

“Oh, God…!” he exclaimed in a hushed voiced. “That sucks. Did they ever find the guy?”

“They think they did, but my brother and I don’t believe he did it.”

“Who is it?”

“My dad.”

His mouth fell open. “Your dad is in prison for killing your mom?”

She felt the ache in her chest at the look. She was really starting to like this guy too. “Yep.” She stabbed her ice cream and waited for the quick exit, but when it didn’t come she just stared up at him. “You’re not going to run?”

“Why would I?”

She shrugged. “That’s usually when I lose my other dates. Mention your father’s a convicted killer and they run for the hills.” She shrugged. “Not even Josh knows.”

Josh didn’t know that? Why would she tell him then? Who the hell were these people that she dated before? Deciding in the here and now to be different, he smiled and said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She smiled. He smiled back. They sat there staring at each other for a good couple of minutes before he asked, “What’s your big news?”

“I got my dream job today!”

His smile widened and her heart and stomach both flip-flopped. “That’s great, Grace!”

She couldn’t help the smile. He actually sounded genuine with the response. “Thank you. You’re looking at the new photo-graphics editor for the Central City Picture News.”

“Wow….that’s amazing,” he said, surprised.

“Thank you. So, what do you do at S.T.A.R. Labs? Or are you not supposed to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “No, it’s cool. Um…a mechanical engineer.”

She nodded. “That’s cool. So, are you excited for tonight?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I am. I’ve spent over a year on this thing with my team. I think we’ll be all relieved when it finally goes online.”

She nodded. “I could see that.” She smiled. “Well, I’ll be there. With my brother and Iris.” Not wanting to be too forward or anything, she said, “Maybe we could hang out afterwards.”

He nodded. “I’d like that, but I’ll probably be too excited to stop celebrating.”

She laughed. “I’ll take my chances.” She looked at her watch and smiled. “I’d really hate to eat and run, but uh….I promised Iris I’d meet up with her.”

He looked at his own watch. “Oh! I gotta get going too.” He smiled. “Can I call you?”

She nodded as she slid out of her seat. “You better.” She smirked at him. She closed the gap as he stood and pressed her lips lightly to his cheek.

* * *

 

Ronnie Raymond smiled when he seen Cisco walking into the lab smiling from ear to ear. “Hey, Romeo. How’d it go?”

Cisco sighed. “It went great,” he said. “She’s amazing, Ronnie. Like really, **_really_** amazing.”

Ronnie smiled. “Good. By the way, Wells knows where you were.”

“Oh, great. How much trouble am I in?”

“None,” Wells said from behind him.

He whirled quickly to face him. “Dr. Wells, uh—”

“No, Cisco. It was your lunch hour. You are allowed to spend it with whomever you wanted.” He smiled. “How’d it go?”

He nodded. “Really good. Never had hot fudge sundaes for lunch, but if later tonight goes as good as lunch ended then I may spend more lunches having sundaes.”

Wells smiled. “May I give you a suggestion?”

“Sure,” he said a little cautiously. “Start out slowly first. I know that your generation probably doesn’t do that anymore, but my wife and I did and we became best friends long before we even dated.”

He nodded. “Good to know. I’ll definitely try that.”

“What’s with the sundae thing anyway?” Caitlin asked.

He smirked, remembering the way she had talked about it. “Her parents used to do it for huge things that her and her older brother accomplished. They’d go out to get hot fudge sundaes and celebrate.” He smiled. “Her brother kept up the tradition after their parents….”

“That’s cool,” Ronnie said. “I wish my parents would have done cool stuff like that.”

Cisco sighed and took his jacket off. “Alright. Getting back to work. I have a lot of work to do.” He waved and went back to his desk, he sat.

* * *

 

Barry Allen put the sample into the machine and pressed start. As he started for his street map board, he pulled his plastic glove off.

“Okay, I am ready to see this atom smasher smashing,” Iris announced as she entered Barry’s lab.

“There was a shooting today. Your dad needs me to process some evidence, which means I don't know if we're going to be able to make it to S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“But seeing this thing turn on is like your dream. Your sad, little nerdy dream. Besides, I canceled a date for this and your sister is waiting for us.” She picked up a fry and bite into it.

Barry saw it and snatched his fries. “Hands off my fries. Unbelievable. You’re worse that Grace.”

“I'm stress eating over my dissertation. We started selling cronuts at Jitters. I ate two today. If I don't graduate soon, I'm gonna be more muffin top than woman.”

Barry gave her a once over. “You look amazing.”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, tossing down the rest of the fry. “What is so important about this particle accelerator anyway?”

“Harrison Wells' work in quantum theory is light-years ahead of anything they're doing at Cern.”

“You're doing that thing where you're not speaking English.”

He exhaled softly. “Sometimes I wish Lucy could travel with you and be my translator.”

“Sometimes so do I, but since she’s not tell me.”

“Okay.” He walked over to his see through board and took a dry erase marker. He made a dot. “Just imagine that that dot is everything the human race has ever learned until this moment.”

“Does that include "twerking"?” she tossed in.

He drew a big circle around it. “That is everything we could learn from the particle accelerator. It's a whole new way of looking at physics. It will literally change the way that we think about everything.”

“You got to get yourself a girlfriend.”

“Hey, leave him alone,” Joe said as he walked into the lab. “He's working.”

“Hi, dad.”

The machine started beeping. “Your test thingy is done,” Iris told him.

“Yeah.” He looked at the results. “I think the Mardon Brothers are hiding on a farm. The fecal matter I found on the street, it was cow manure, which contained traces of oxytetracycline. It's an antibiotic. There are only four farms in the area that still use it in their feed. Bet you find a really sweet Shelby parked at one of them.”

Joe looked at the printout Barry handed him.

Iris stood and put a hand on her dad’s shoulder. “Dad, seeing as how Barry solved your poop problem, how about letting him go to S.T.A.R. Labs?”

“Fine, go.”

“Yes!”

“Thank you, Joe.”

* * *

 

“So, Barry, how was your trip? Did you find proof of the impossible in Starling City, or did you just make my dad mad for no reason?”

“Actually, while I was away, I had a chance to think about... You know, relationships. And, well, I'm not in one. And you're not in one, either. And you're my best friend, Iris.”

They looked at each other. “You're mine too. Why else would I be here? That's not what I meant. What I... I know what you're gonna say, Barry.”

“I'm not sure you do.”

“Even though we pretty much grew up in the same house together, and we're kind of like brother and sister, because we're not brother and sister, it can get really weird and awkward to talk to me about girls. But I just want you to know that it shouldn't be awkward. There is nothing that I want more than for you to meet the right person that totally loves and adores you for the amazing guy that you are.”

He chuckled awkwardly. “Took the words right out of my mouth.”

“Aw, aren't you glad I know you so well?”

“BARRY! IRIS!”

Barry smiled when he seen his sister waving them over. Iris followed as they zig-zagged through the crowd. Grace hugged them both. Iris leaned into him. “Is he up there?”

Grace shook her head. “No.”

“Aww. I thought maybe I could see what he looks like.”

She laughed. “I’ll take a picture of him for you and let you see okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

In another part of the gathering, Connor and Mackenzie watched in awe as Harrison Wells took the stage and the audience went crazy. They couldn’t believe were here right now. They couldn’t believe that they were standing in front of one the greatest scientific minds in the world.

“Thank you. My name is Harrison Wells. Tonight, the future begins. The work my team and I will do here will change our understanding of physics. We'll bring about advancements in power, advancements in medicine, and trust me, that future will be here faster than you think.”

Grace’s phone rang and she looked at the caller ID. She smiled. “I’ll be back.” She answered as she walked away, “Hey, Handsome.”

“Hey. You here?”

“Yeah. I’m right outside—Oh, crap!”

“What’s wrong?”

“My friend’s bag was just stolen. Don’t worry about it. Barry’s on the case,” she said dismissively. “So, you nervous?”

“Hell yeah.” He winced. “Sorry.”

She laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind.” She smirked. “I thought you would be.”

“How’d you know?”

“Because you’re a lot like my brother that way,” she told him. “He was always so nervous before a presentation that he worked himself up once to the point that he threw up.”

“Oh, gross. Thanks a lot, Tor.”

She laughed. “You’re adorable.”

“You gonna stick around until afterwards?”

“Yep, I’ll be here.”

“Cool. Meet you out front?”

“Sounds good. See you later.”

“See you later,” Cisco said.

* * *

 

Grace had said goodbye to her brother and Iris a while ago and she still stood outside waiting for Cisco when she heard a very strange boom sound amongst the chanters of protests. She turned to the building and saw the plume of light and shielded her eyes and she tried to turn and run, but people were in the way and she pushed past a few and then couldn’t move anymore so she did what her human instincts told her and crouched and screamed as some kind of weird wave swept through her.

Then everything went black.

* * *

 

  **-A Few Hours Later….**

The entire town seemed to be in utter chaos.

Joe and Iris awaited information on Barry when a nurse approached him. “Detective West?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know a Grace Allen?”

He nodded and his heart stopped beating. “Oh, God….Grace….?”

“Sir, come with me, please?”

He looked at Iris and she nodded. “Go. I’ll stay here. Check on Grace, dad.”

He walked down the hall and listened as she said, “Your daughter….?”

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

“Your daughter seemed to have been struck by the blast from the explosion.”

His knees buckled and he almost collapsed. “Oh, God….no!”

The nurse turned to him. “Detective, she’s fine. She’s a fighter, but she’s in a coma.”

He exhaled. “Do we know if she’ll come out of it?”

“We’re not one-hundred percent, but she should.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” He walked into her room and his heart stopped. He loved this girl as if she was his own daughter. He walked to her bed. “Oh, Baby….” He bent forward and kissed her forehead. “Come back to me, okay?”

* * *

 

He knew it was probably one of the worse ideas that he had ever had in the world, especially after what had happened, but he knew he had to see for himself if she was okay. He stopped at nurse’s station and smiled politely at the nurse. “Excuse me could you tell me what room Grace Allen is in?”

“Are you family?”

“Well, no. Um….I’m a friend.”

Iris heard the name and walked up to the guy. “Cisco?”

He turned and smiled sympathetically at her. “Hey, Iris. How is she?”

She smiled. She knew that Grace would want to see her. The lights flickered again and she sighed. “Ever since the explosion it’s been doing that.”

“I’m sorry.”

Iris shook her head. “Don’t apologize for it. It was an accident.” She walked into the room where Tori lay and smiled at her father. “Dad, this is Cisco. He’s a friend of Grace’s.”

Joe shook his hand. “Hi.”

Cisco could feel a weird vibe between the 2 of them. Something intense was going on. “Hi, Mr. West. How is she? Will she…?”

He shook his head. “No. The doctors think she’ll wake up soon, so that’s an improvement. He looked at Cisco. “Now if only her brother would wake up and they’d stop the electricity flickering and see if they could help Barry.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. West.”

He shook his head. “No, Cisco. It’s all right. Would you like a few minutes alone?”

“Would you mind?”

He shook his head. “No. Iris and I’ll get coffee.”

He smiled. He waited for them to leave and then turned back to her. “Oh, Grace, Baby, I am so sorry for this.” He caressed her cheek and then kissed her forehead. “Please, wake up.”

A few minutes later, Joe and Iris returned and Cisco kissed her hand. He said his goodbyes to the Wests and then started walking out.

“Cisco….” Came a muttered voice.

Iris and Joe rushed to her. “Gracie?!”

She winced. “Shh…” she whispered. She could hear the wild beeping from the life monitor. “Dad….turn that down.”

Joe laughed softly. “I can’t, baby. It’s letting us know you’re alive.”

“Shh….” She whispered again. Why was everyone’s sounding like they were screaming at her. “Cisco?” she said softly.

Iris waved him over and he walked to her other side. “Yeah?”

“You came,” she said softly.

He laughed softly. “Of course, I did. What else would I have done?”

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not hurt,” he told her. “A friend of mine died, but I’m okay.”

She exhaled. “Sorry about your friend.”

“It’s okay.”

She looked around “Where’s Barry?” She saw something shift in Joe and Iris’ eyes. Her heart thundered in her chest. “Oh, God….no!”

Joe held her hand, which held her on the bed. “He wasn’t there. He got struck by lightning, Sweetheart.”

“Oh, God….will-will he be okay?”

“We don’t know,” Iris told her. The lights flickered again and Iris groaned. “Damn it. Why can’t they get that under control?”

* * *

 

**-A Couple of Weeks Later…..**

Grace walked into her apartment and tossed her keys on the table at the door. It felt nice to be home but hadn’t stopped thinking about her brother. A few hours after she had woken up Dr. Wells, a Dr. Caitlin Snow and Cisco showed and offered to take Barry with them until he gets better. After a family meeting they agreed and let Barry be taken to S.T.A.R. Labs. Now, she was out and despite seeing Cisco every day and hanging out with him for a couple of hours, she figured she wouldn’t see him again. Who’d want to be reminded of the accident?

She stepped back and let Iris in after her. She exhaled deeply. Iris watched as she slowly came to a stop at the couch. “Maybe we should go to the house.”

Grace shook her head. “I wanna sleep in my bed.” She sat down.

She walked over and sat down next to her. “You okay?”

“Do you think Cisco will ever want to see me again or do you think it was just because he felt guilty or something?”

Iris looked at her and knew she could lie, but she decided to evade. “I don’t know, Grace. Really I don’t.”

She looked at her. For the last 2 weeks the strangest things have been happening to her. First she didn’t seem to have a body temperature and when she did it wasn’t to the doctor’s satisfaction. Then this, she seemed to be able to hear EVERYTHING. And if Iris’ heartbeat was indication, she was lying to make her feel better. She sighed. “That’s what I thought.” She sat up and rubbed her face with her hands. “I knew it was all too good to be true.”

“Grace, I didn’t—”

“We’ve known each other all my life, Iris. I know when you lie.”

Iris sighed. “I was trying to not hurt your feelings.”

She shook her head. “It’s cool. I figured as much.” She sighed. “The two weeks with him in the hospital with me was amazing. I should have figured it was too good to be true.”

“Oh, Gracie, don’t say that. You still got tonight.”

She nodded. “Do you think I still have my job at the paper?”

She smiled. “I know you do. The owner of the paper came to tell me and dad that when you woke up you could have your job.”

She exhaled. “Thank God.”

_Knock-Knock! Knock-Knock!_

Iris smiled at her. “It’s probably dad.”

Grace stood slowly and walked to the door. She hoped it was Cisco on the other end. She opened the door and her heart shattered when it was Joe. She smiled. “Hey, Joe.”

Joe saw the sad look on her face and winced. “Not who you expected?”

“Hoped,” she clarified. She shook her head. “It’s okay.” She kissed his cheek and pulled him into her apartment. She wrapped her arms around his torso and held on. He kissed the top of her head.

_Guess it was never to be…._

* * *

 

That morning, Grace awoke to the sound of someone knocking at the door. She groaned and looked at the time on her phone. 7:15am. Who in the world would come to see her? She pulled her hand through her dark hair, and grabbed her robe. She tied it as she walked to the door. She pulled it open and her heart literally stopped beating. “Cisco?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Sorry, I couldn’t be here yesterday. We had to do a lot of stuff with the after of the explosion.”

She nodded. “It’s okay.” She stepped aside and he walked in. She seen the sacks. “What’s all that?”

“Breakfast and movies.” He exhaled. “I don’t have a job to go back to right now and I thought with you still in recovery we could hang out, enjoy ourselves and get to know each other.”

She smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

He smiled. Maybe taking things slow wouldn’t be so bad after all.


	3. Team Flash

****

**-Present Day….**

Wells wheeled into his secret computerized room. He stood up and looked at the wall. “Gideon, show me all articles on Grace Allen-Ramon.”

“ _Showing all articles on Grace Allen-Ramon_.”

He looked at one in particular and pulled it up. He read the headline: _Gaia at S.T.A.R. Labs in Coma._

In first part of the article it read: _Central City’s very own Gaia is currently in a coma after taking on a speedster her brother, the Flash, was able to take out years before. There’s no word from her husband or family whether she’ll wake up at all……_

The future was still intact. “Perfect.”

* * *

Grace jerked awake as her alarm screamed. She moaned and leaned over and slapped it off. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. She had the morning shift to sit with Barry this morning before she headed into work. In the last 9 months she went to the Lab to be tested and observed with her powers.

Throughout the months she and Cisco had become really close. They were as Caitlin said ‘inseparable’. She couldn’t help it. She enjoyed his company. He was really funny and had some crazy whacked out theories for movies. In the last few months something seemed to have shifted between them. What it was she really didn’t know.

There was the way he looked at her or the way he touched her or the way he seemed to care about her. No, she wasn’t going to do this, because all it was going to do was lead to her getting her heartbroken, because what if he didn’t like her back? Mentally shaking it out of her mind she pushed the covers back and walked to the bathroom.

Caitlin had become friends. She liked Caitlin, but sometimes she was _WAY_ too serious, but she was really nice and had been through a lot over the last 9 months. Dr. Wells was pretty cool, if feeling a little guilty way too much.

Also, over the last 9 months she had quickly discovered something about herself. She seemed to have been affected by the explosion in the most bizarre way…. she had superpowers! It was discovered she can control all of the Earth’s elements. Earth, Fire, Air and Water…. all of them. It was the strangest thing. But it would explain a lot of what had happened when she was in the hospital. The extremely high body temperature, the weirdly exploding television. The slight earthquake that had happened. All of them. She was beginning to get used to them, but it was still difficult.

She exhaled and turned to the shower and turned it on.

* * *

 

Caitlin walked over to her friend and smiled. “So, did you see Grace last night?”

He nodded. She smiled. “So, do you still think she’s great?”

“Even more so,” he sighed. “She’s incredible, Cait. She’s smart—and I don’t mean in the way that you’d say others were intelligent. Um….the other night I took her to the museum and I explained something in the museum to her and she understood **_every_** word.”

She laughed. “Oh, God….Ronnie was right. You do have it bad.”

He laughed. He shrugged. “But Wells was right. This was the route to go. Getting to know her has been amazing. She’s easily become my best friend.”

She looked down at her friend. There was something else there. “But….”

“I keep thinking that there was never going to be able to apologize more for that, no way I’d have another chance with her. I mean, why would she want to be forever reminded of the accident that put her brother like that and put her in a coma for a few days and kept in the hospital for two weeks.”

“The accident didn’t keep me in the hospital.”

Both of their heads turned to see Grace standing in the comm area of the Lab. She was in a black body hugging dress with a yellow blazer. Her 5” heels brought her to almost 6 feet tall. “Wha…what?” Caitlin asked facing her.

She smiled sympathetically at them. “The explosion wasn’t what was keeping me in the hospital.”

“What was?” Wells asked.

“My body temperature,” she explained.

“What?” Cisco asked. “That’s not what Joe and Iris—”

She shook her head and put her bag down on the floor. “Probably because the doctors weren’t telling them everything.” She sighed. “I had overheard a conversation with some of my nurses and a couple of my doctors after you had left one night,” she admitted. “And the female doctor, Dr. Nottingham, was concerned about my body temperature.”

“Why?” Caitlin asked.

“Because it was too high,” she clarified. “Apparently I was several degrees higher than she thought I should be. I heard them say that I should be dead because of how hot I was running.”

Cisco’s heart thudded hard in his chest. “Really?”

She nodded. “So, it wasn’t the accident that was keeping me in the hospital. It was me. I was keeping me in the hospital.” She exhaled. “Oh, this morning I discovered another part of my powers. Actually a few.”

“What?” Wells asked.

She looked around for a moment and then seen Caitlin’s coffee. She walked over to it and felt the coolness. She picked it up with both hands and said, “Watch.”

They knew how long Caitlin had been drinking that and knew it would be cooled down or maybe even cold. As they watched, a steady stream of steam began pluming from the rim. Caitlin walked up to her and carefully took her cup from her. She gasped in shock. “It’s warm!”

“Try it,” she said softly.

Caitlin brought it gently to her lips and jerked slightly when the hot liquid touched her lips. “Ooh!” She touched her slightly burnt lips. “It’s hot.”

Grace smiled and approached the bio-engineer. “May I?”

She nodded. Grace raised her hand and gently covered the girl’s mouth. Caitlin felt a cool emit from Grace’s hand. She stepped back. She touched her lip. “How….when did you start running hot and cold?”

“Um….hot was about five days after the explosion. The cold I had discovered when I had overheard the medical staff talk about my temperature.”

Cisco turned his chair slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged. “I like you,” she admitted softly, a soft blush staining the bridge of her nose. “I….I….I have feelings for you.” She exhaled. “I didn’t want you to think I was some kind of a freak.”

He sighed. Not worrying about Dr. Wells or Caitlin, he stood and said as he walked to her, “I wouldn’t have thought you were some kind of freak, Grace.”

She cocked her head to the lift and studied him, her eyes narrowing slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Really?”

He nodded. “I know after what happened with Josh it’s difficult to trust someone—”

“Cisco, I trust you and I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to say ‘hey, I can now make things hot and cold’.” She held out a hand to him and said, “You know about the earthquakes and what I can do with air, but…..this was a little weird to me still, especially the part that I ended up making my shower really cold, like freezing cold and it never affected me. I mean, I knew it was cold, but it didn’t seem to do anything. If anything, the fire part of me made my body temperature go up and it didn’t bother me at all.”

Wells nodded. “We’ll test out your abilities later. Visit your brother.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Doc.”

“You’re welcome.” He wheeled away.

She unbuttoned her coat and slipped it off. She draped it over Cisco’s chair and her eyes landed on her brother. “Any improvement?”

Cisco shook his head. “No,” he said softly. “Sorry.”

She smiled back at him. “It’s cool,” she said almost as softly. “I have an idea,” she said and pulled a ponytail holder from her jeans pocket. She quickly threw her long hair up into a ponytail. She looked at Caitlin. “I was reading in my dad’s old medical journals that music can help bring coma patients out. Is that right?”

“There have been some studies, yes. Why?”

“And if they have a high emotional response to it then that’s good, right?”

“Um…yes?” she said not entirely sure why she was asking her this.

She smiled triumphantly. “Cool!” She then dug into her messenger bag and pulled out a mix disk. She tossed it to Cisco. “Put that in.”

“What’s on it?” He asked as he walked over to his computer.

“Mostly his favorites. Some of mine and some that I LOVE, but he hates.” She put her hands into her back pockets and smirked at her friends. “Perks of being a little sister. You know what will definitely get an emotional response from your big brother.”

“What doesn’t he like?” Caitlin snickered.

“Britney Spears,” she said smiling. “I LOVE Britney and I used to only put only a few on repeat. Used to drive him absolutely _crazy_.” Her smile widened. “Was a lot of fun.”

He played the disk and the room filled with upbeat pop music. About an hour or so later, Grace excused herself to use the bathroom and exited the room. Caitlin turned in her chair. “You should ask her out.”

“What?”

“You should ask her out,” Caitlin repeated. She smiled. “Cisco, it’s obvious you still like her.”

He shook his head. “I’m a constant reminder of what happened—”

She laughed softly. “I don’t think she sees it that way. Come on. Let’s do our morning checkup of Barry.”

Lady Gaga’s Pokerface filled the room.

“What are you doing?” Caitlin asked.

“He likes this song.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Grace wouldn’t have put it on here unless he either likes it or hates it, right? And she said he can hear…I mean, he can hear everything, right?”

“Auditory functions are the last sensory faculties to degenerate.”

As they both walked away. Caitlin to run a test and Cisco to do whatever he needed to do they heard a gasp. Both of them turned to see Barry sitting up and a little disoriented.

“Oh, my God!” Cisco exclaimed.

“Where am I?”

“He's up,” Caitlin said simply.

Cisco turned to his phone and said into it, “Dr. Wells get down to the cortex, like, right now.”

“Pulse 120, pupils equally reactive to light. Look at me, look at me.”

Realizing he’s freaking out, Cisco tried to calm him. “Hey, hey, whoa, whoa, relax. Everything's okay, man. You're at S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“S.T.A.R. Labs? Who are you?”

“I'm Cisco Ramon. She's Caitlin... Dr. Snow.”

Said woman approached him and held out a cup. “I need you to urinate in this.”

“Not this second.”

“What is... what is happening? What is going on?” He looked around the room. “Where’s my sister?”

“You were struck by lightning, dude,” Cisco replied.”

“What?” He turned to a monitor that must have had a camera in it because he could see himself. He realized something. “Lightning gave me abs?”

“Your muscles should be atrophied, but instead they're in a chronic and unexplained state of cellular regeneration,” Caitlin said while touching him.

“Come here.” Cisco took him by the shoulders and directed him to a chair. “Have a seat. You were in a coma.”

“For how long?”

“Nine months,” Dr. Wells said as he wheeled into the room. “Welcome back, Mr. Allen.”

Barry could hear the loud, echoing click of heels running down the hollowed corridor and looked up to see his little sister rushing into the room and coming to a sliding stop at the computers.

“What’s going….” She gasped when she saw him. “Barry!” she gave a choking exclamation as her eyes filled with tears. With one hand covering her mouth she walked to her brother and launched herself into his arms, sobbing. “Oh, God….!”

He held her tight, wrapping his arms around her. He noticed her body was really warm, but he didn’t care. “Hey, Gracie.”

“God….” She sniffled. “I thought you would never wake up,” she whispered.

He kissed her cheek and then her head. She pulled back and sniffled again. “I need a Kleenex. I still need to go to work after this.”

Barry chuckled softly. Dr. Wells smiled at him. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Barry looked at Grace. She smiled. “Go ahead. He is your idol, Big Brother.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll be here and we can go get Iris when you’re done.”

He smiled. He quickly dressed and walked around the facility with him. “It's hard to believe I'm here. I have always wanted to meet you face to face.”

“Yeah? Well, you certainly went to great lengths to do it,” he teased. “S.T.A.R. Labs has not been operational since FEMA categorized us as a class four hazardous location. 17 people died that night. Many more were injured. Myself amongst them.”

“Jeez. What happened?” Barry asked in awe of the giant hole in the place.

“Nine months ago, the particle accelerator went online exactly as planned. For 45 minutes, I had achieved my life's dream. And then... Then there was an anomaly. The electron volts became unmeasurable, the ring under us popped. Energy from that detonation was thrown into the sky and that, in turn, seeded a storm cloud...”

“That created a lightning bolt that struck me.”

“That's right. I was recovering myself... When I heard about you. The hospital was undergoing unexplainable power outages every time you were going into cardiac arrest, which was actually a misdiagnosis because you see, you weren't flatlining, Barry. Your heartbeat was moving too fast for the EKG to register it.”

They went back upstairs. “Now, I'm not the most popular person in town these days, but Detective West and his daughter gave me permission to bring you here, where we were able to stabilize you.”

“Iris?”

“Iris, yes. She came to see you quite often.”

“She talks a lot,” Caitlin said handing Dr. Wells his coffee.

Cisco walked up, smiling. “Also, she’s hot.”

Caitlin slid her eyes to Grace. She didn’t seem affected. Grace cleared her throat and picked up her jacket. It was stupid to think he was interested. Obviously if he had found her sister sexy then he didn’t want her….she sighed softly. She looked at Barry. “Ready to go?” she asked softly.

He nodded. “Right.” He started walking. “I need to go.”

“No, you can't.”

“No, no. No, Caitlin's right,” Wells said. “No, now that you're awake, we need to do more tests. You're still going through changes. There's so much that we don't know.”

“I'm fine. Really, I feel normal. Thank you for saving my life.” He ran out.

“Really?”

He sighed.

Barry came back. “Can I keep the sweatshirt?”

Wells nodded. “Yeah, keep the sweatshirt.”

“Okay.”

* * *

 

Barry walked into Jitters and slowed to a stop to watch Iris. Grace followed behind him. She watched as they reunited.

“Fill 'er up?”

“Thanks.”

She looked up and saw Barry and gasped. “Oh, my God.” She ran to him and he held her. “You're awake. Why didn't S.T.A.R. Labs call us?”

“I just woke up.”

“Should you even be on your feet?”

“Iris, I... I'm okay.”

“I watched you die, Barry. You kept dying. Your heart kept stopping.”

“It's still beating.” To prove it he put her hand to his heart.

She felt how fast paced it was. “Feels really fast.”

Around him the world seemed to slow down for a moment as he watched Tracy dump her tray and something else fell behind him. He looked a little confused. Iris didn’t notice though as she smiled up at him and told him she was going to go get her stuff and be right back.

Grace walked up to him. “B, you okay?”

“Uh…yeah,” he said, still confused.

She watched him as they waited for Iris. She was a little worried about him. He seemed off. She had chalked up to just waking up from his long duration coma, but now watching him he did seem off.

* * *

 

As the family was reunited at the station, Joe got called away and Iris was asked to talk to someone. Barry looked around greeted people and then watched as a suspect tried to take a gun. He quickly disarmed him. A little freaked out by the speed at which traveled he looked at Iris and his sister. “I... I just need some air. But I'll call you tonight, all right? Both of you.”

Grace had a feeling she knew what was going on and looked at her brother and then Iris. She glanced at her watch. “I should get going too. I have a big photo issue coming out.” She hurriedly walked out and found her brother in the parking lot. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said. He stammered his way through trying to get her to go away and she smiled.

“Barry, I’m not going anywhere. We need to get you back to S.T.A.R Labs. Come on.”

He lifted his hand up and they both watched as it vibrated. “What’s happening to me?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out. Let’s get you back to the lab.”

His body started speeding up and he ran into some dumpsters and then a cop car, shattering the windows. Grace walked to him and helped him off the car. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He smiled at her and then backed up and sped off.

She sighed, shaking her head. “BARRY!” However instead of trying to catch up to him by running, she pushed herself into the air and began gliding through the air at a super-sonic speed. She landed a few feet away from where he ended up in a laundry truck. She walked up to the African-American man who looked a little dazed. “Hi.” She walked up to the doors. “Barry?”

The man lifted the laundry off of him and Barry sat up, smiling. “Awesome!”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Come on, Big Brother. Let’s go.”

He climbed out of the back of the van and took her hand. He looked at her as they walked way, excitedly, “Did you see that?!”

“I did,” she said smiling. “It was really awesome.”

He then turned to her a little curious. “How—How….how did you catch up to me so fast?”

She looped her arm through his and smiled as they walked. “Well, funny you should ask that, because I have an answer.”

She proceeded to tell him about what had happened to her when the explosion happened as they rounded the corner toward S.T.A.R. Labs she had finished the majority of the story and was finishing with, “As it would seem I have all the powers—so far—of the elements.”

“Seriously?!”

She nodded. “Yeah. Earth, Wind, Fire and Air. Along with others that I’m just newly discovering.” She smiled at her brother. “The reason why I could catch up to you so fast is because I can fly.”

“No way!” he exclaimed. He gave her a disbelieving look. “Really?”

She laughed. “Really. In several different ways.”

“Oh, that’s so cool!”

She laughed. “Come on, B.”

As they walked back to the lab, Barry looked down at her. “So, what happened between you and that guy you were gushing about that night?”

She softly exhaled. She shook her head. “Um….we’re friends,” she told him. She seen the shocked expression. She laughed wryly. “I keep telling you big brother that guys don’t like smart girls.” She held up a finger to stop the usual retort that he said. “Iris doesn’t count. She looks like a pageant queen.”

He exhaled and stopped in front of her. “Would you stop with that? You’ve been saying stuff like that since you were a teenager.”

“Because it’s true,” she said, smiling. She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. “Barry, I have like four or five different degrees and all of them except one is in some kind of science major. As soon as I talk about any of them I swear to you the guy’s eyes glaze over and he tunes me out.”

“So, is that what happened with this guy?”

She shook her head. “No.” She exhaled. “No, Cisco and I are just friends.”

Barry sighed and put an arm around her as they walked together.

* * *

 

They went at Ferris Airstrip and were all set up. Caitlin was finishing when she said to Harrison, “You don't really believe he can run that fast, do you?”

“Well, I believe anything is possible, and in a few minutes, maybe you will too.”

Cisco walked up to the back of the trailer and called out, “How does it fit?”

“It's a little snug,” Barry answered.

Barry heard the snicker from his sister and glared at her. “Shut up.”

She then burst out laughing. “Sorry. Can’t help it.”

Cisco sighed. “Grace.”

“Sorry.” She cleared her throat. She slid her eyes to her brother. “It’s just that you remind me of those Goofy cartoons when he’s going swimming or working out or something.”

“At least you will be moving so fast no one will see you.” He walked with Barry to the track. “See, you thought the world was slowing down. It wasn't. You were moving so fast it only looked like everyone else was standing still. Dr. Wells will be moniGraceng your energy output, and Caitlin, your vitals.”

“What do you do?” Barry asked looking down at him.

“I make the toys, my man. Check it. This is a two-way headset with a camera I modified. Typically designed to combat battlefield impulse noise, or in your case, potential sonic booms, which would be awesome.” He laughed.

He walked away and Caitlin walked up to program the device around him. “What?”

“Nothing. I just noticed you don't smile too much.”

“My once promising career in bioengineering is over, my boss is in a wheelchair for life, the explosion that put you in a coma also killed my fiancé. So this blank expression kind of feels like the way to go.”

Dr. Wells wheeled up to him. “Mr. Allen, while I am extremely eager to determine your full range of abilities, I do caution restraint.”

He nodded. “Yeah.” He smirked at Grace. “So, when do I get to see your moves?”

She laughs. “When you do what you need to do so they can figure this all out.” She smirked at him, crossing her arms. “Think of it like the rewards mom used to give us when we were patient.”

He took off at a high rate of speed that it knocked Cisco on his ass and pushed Caitlin and Grace. She caught herself and started walking toward Cisco. “Oh, my God….” She continued watching as she stopped next to Cisco. She then looked down at him. “Hey, you okay?”

He looked up into her blue eyes and his heart began thundering in his chest. God, she was beautiful. “Y-Y-Yeah.” He took the hand she offered, and she pulled him to his feet.

They watched as he ran and then crashed hard into a bunch of water barrels. Grace stepped forward. “Oh, crap!” She then launched herself into the air and flew to her brother. She landed in front of him and knelt down next to him. “Barry! Are you okay?”

“I think I broke my arm.” He seethed in pain. “By the way, very cool flying there, Grace.”

She laughed. “Thanks. I kinda didn’t even think about it. You were hurt. I had to help you.”

He smiled and kissed her head.

* * *

 

3 hours later, they were back at S.T.A.R. Labs and Barry was on the mend. Grace sighed and looked at Cisco. “I think I need to come up with something for myself to do, since if I’m not at home or my office, I’m here.”

He laughed. “Find a hobby.”

She laughed and slapped at him playfully. “Shut up.”

He laughed. Without thinking about it, he kissed the top of her head. “You’re cute.”

“Thanks,” she said blinking up at him. “So, you coming over later so we can finish the closeted Lord of the Rings marathon you’re making me watch?”

He laughed softly. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. You gonna stop giving me stone face as you attempt to pretend to not actually like the movie?”

She shrugged. “You’ll have to come over and find out,” she said with a smirk.

He laughed and shook his head. She walked to her brother. “What happened out there today? You were moving pretty well, and then something caused you to lose focus.”

“I started remembering something.”

“You were thinking about it weren’t you?”

He nodded and then looked at the rest of the team. “When I was 11 and Grace was 8, our mother was murdered. It was late. A sound woke me up. I came downstairs and... I saw what looked like a ball of lightning. Inside the lightning, there was a man. He killed my mom. They arrested our dad. He's still sitting in Iron Heights for her murder.” He looked at Grace, who was staring at the floor. “Everyone, the cops, the shrinks, they all told me what I saw was impossible.”

Cisco looked at Grace. “What do you remember about it?”

“Just the noise,” she said, shaking her head. “I couldn’t get out of my room. The only time I was let out was when Barry came and got me.”

Barry smiled at his sister and then looked at Wells. “What if the man who killed my mom was like me?”

“Well, I think I can say unequivocally you are one of a kind.”

Cisco looked at Grace who stepped forward and took her brother’s hands. “Harrison’s right, Barry. For your theory to be correct someone else would have had to build the accelerator that did all this to us and we know that didn’t happen.” She touched his cheek. “I think about her too. I miss her too. And I miss daddy. He shouldn’t be where he is right now, but unless we get undeniable proof of it we can’t get him out.”

“I know.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Come on. Let’s go get something to eat at Jitters and leave the brains of the operation to their jobs.”

He laughed. “Right.”

* * *

 

They headed toward Jitters. As they walked Grace caught him up on her life. He looked up at that moment and saw Iris and Eddie kissing. His heart literally stopped beating and he halted.

“Barry?” she asked and followed his eyeline. She stopped. “Oh.”

Iris caught up to them and started walking back to the coffee place with them. “You can't tell my dad. He doesn't know about me and Eddie.”

“Doesn't seem like anyone's in on the secret.”

Grace raised her hand. “I was,” she said cautiously. She looked at her brother. “Sorry. Iris said she wanted to tell you.” She looked at her brother, hands raised. “I told you my secret.”

Iris smiled. “I was gonna tell you. When you were in the hospital, Eddie covered my father's shifts so that we could both be with you. I thanked him with a cup of coffee, and things just kind of happened. And it's good.”

“Dating your partner's daughter... Isn't that against department regulations?”

Grace looked at her brother and felt for him. She couldn’t imagine being where he was. In love with his best friend and knowing she didn’t see him that way.

“Why are you so upset?”

In the distance, tires can be heard squealing.

“I just don't like having to lie to your dad, you know?”

The sound of a siren coming closer to them had Grace looking up. “Barry.”

They both turned to look and seen an officer in one of the cars trying to block the felon from escaping, but he was coming closer to them more than actually stopping. Grace dove out of the way as Barry grabbed Iris, turned her and fell to the ground.

When they were settled, both Iris and Grace looked up to see Barry was gone. They watched in the distance as Mardon’s car flipped. However, as it was in the air somehow Mardon got out and Barry was the only one left in the car when it crashed.

A little dazed he pulled himself from the car and stood. “Hey! Mardon!”

* * *

 

The ambulance, police and first responders were on the scene. The ambulance took one of the crash victims to the morgue. “That poor man. The way that fog came in, I have never seen anything like it.”

“Barry! Grace! Iris.”

Joe hugged Grace. She smiled into his shoulder. “We’re okay, Joe.”

Joe put his hand on Iris’ shoulder. “I'm all right, dad.”

“What the hell were you thinking having her out here? No, no, no... And I told you, when you see danger, you run the other way. You're not a cop.”

“Because you wouldn't let me,” she argued.

“You're damn right.”

“Joe, I need to talk to you.”

“It can wait.”

“No, it can’t,” Barry said firmly. Joe and Barry walked off to talk.

As they walked talked, Grace got a call from her office and she promised to stop in to fix the problem they were having. As she hung up she heard, “Dad, enough!”

“Unh-uh, Iris. I have done my best to take care of you and your sister since that night, and I have never asked for anything in return, not even a thank you, but what I do ask now is that you for once in your life see things as they are.”

Barry hung his head and walked off. Iris and Grace both gave him looks that said, ‘I can’t believe you did that’. Iris ran off while Grace looked at him. She pushed her hair back with her fingers. “You know, why can’t you ever just give him that one? You never know it may come back that he was right and then how ridiculous are you going to feel.”

“Grace.”

She held up her hands in a back off kind of way and started walking to catch up to her brother. She stopped. “Daddy loved mom too much to ever take her out of our lives that way, Joe.” She put a hand to her chest. “That’s why I believe he didn’t do it.”

* * *

 

Barry came through the doors of the main lab of the facility and looked at every member. “Grace and I weren't the only ones affected by the particle accelerator explosion, were we?”

“We don't know for sure.”

Grace came into the lab and let her brother let loose. “You said the city was safe, that there was no residual danger. But that's not true, so what really happened that night?”

“Well... The accelerator went active. We all felt like heroes, and then... It all went wrong. The dimensional barrier ruptured, unleashing unknown energies into our world. Antimatter, dark energy, x-elements—”

“Those are all theoretical,” Barry pointed out.

“And how theoretical are you? We mapped the dispersion throughout and around Central City. Though we have no way of knowing exactly what or... Who was exposed, we've been searching for other meta-humans like yourself.”

“"Meta-humans"?”

“That's what we're calling them,” Caitlin said softly.

“I saw one today. He's a bank robber, and he can control the weather.”

“This just keeps getting cooler,” Cisco said excitedly.

“This is not cool. All right? A man died.”

Grace stepped up to her brother, touching his arm comfortingly. “Barry.”

“Mardon must have gotten his powers the same way I did. From the storm cloud. He's still out there. We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else.”

“Barry! That's a job for the police.”

“I work for the police.”

“As a forensic assistant.”

Barry turned on Wells. “You're responsible for this. For him.”

“What's important is you! Not me. I lost everything. I lost my company. I lost my reputation. I lost my freedom. And then you broke your arm, and it healed in three hours. Inside your body could be a map to a whole new world... Genetic therapies, vaccines, medicines, treasures buried deep within your cells and we cannot risk losing everything because you want to go out and play hero!” he said raising his voice at the end. “You're not a hero. You are just a young man who was struck by lightning.”

Barry stared at them all dumbfounded and little hurt. Grace couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He took her hand and walked out with her. He looked at her. “I’ll race ya!”

She laughed and said, “You’re on, Feet.”

She took off in flight and him on feet and they zigged and zagged. Her in the air and him on the ground. He got to the Starling City sign several seconds before her and she landed a few seconds after Barry, as he looked at the Starling City sign.

“Whatcha doin’ big brother?”

“I’m gonna go talk to a friend,” he said, sighing. “Wanna come?”

She smiled. “Sure. Let’s go.”

* * *

 

Oliver Queen and his teenage daughter, Lexy got to the roof of the building that Barry told Oliver to meet him at and they seen a woman landing gently on the roof, next to Barry. Lexy observed her looks. She was beautiful with brown hair like Barry’s and big beautiful blue eyes. Barry smiled.

“Who’s the girl?” Lexy asked, smiling at her friend.

“My sister,” he answered simply.

“You have a sister?” they asked in unison.

He nodded. “Guys, meet my little sister, Grace. Gracie, this is Oliver Queen, the Arrow and his daughter, Alexandra or Sparrow.”

Grace smiled and waved at them both. Lexy smiled at the girl. “You can fly? That’s pretty cool!”

Grace laughed. “Thanks.” She smiled. “Wanna see something else?”

She nodded. Grace held out her hand, palm facing skyward. She then closed her hand and they watched as a gray glow happened and then mixed with a reddish-orange one. She then opened her hand and sitting in the palm of her hand was a glass bird. She smiled at the childlike awe that Lexy expressed. “Take it.”

Lexy picked it up and looked at it. “Oh, that’s so cool!” she exclaimed happily. “Daddy, it’s a sparrow!”

Oliver laughed and pulled her back against him. “So, what’s up?”

Grace smiled. “Let me go first.” He nodded. She began telling her story first and then Barry filled in the blanks on his end and then continued the story. “So that's my story. I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible, never imagining that I would become the impossible.”

“I’m confused,” Lexy muttered.

“What’s the matter?” Grace asked.

“So, because of this explosion, you and Barry got superpowers?”

She nodded. “We’re not entirely sure how it happened. But this is our lives now.”

Oliver smiled. “So why come to me? Something tells me you didn't just run 600 Miles to say "hi" to friends.”

“All my life, I've wanted to just do more... Be more. And now I am. And the first chance I get to help someone, I screw up. What if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?”

“No, Barry,” Lexy said softly.

“I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you, Barry. I think it chose you.” He smiled at Grace. “And I don’t just think you meeting that guy in the coffee place was happenstance as my fiancée would say—”

“You proposed?”

Oliver nodded. “I did. She said yes and no we don’t know when. Honestly, I don’t care what our wedding looks like. I just want her.” He looked at Grace. “I think you were meant to meet him and you were meant to go down there that night. And I think whatever happened was supposed to happen so you could be what you are now.”

“Which is what exactly?” she asked. “I don’t know if I can…I’m not sure I could do this.”

“Grace’s right. I'm just not sure I'm like you, Oliver. I don't know if I can be some... vigilante.”

“So, don’t,” Lexy told them.

“What?” Barry and Grace said in unison.

“Daddy and I started this illegally. We’ve done things our way. But you need to do it yours. You can be better than when we started. Because you can inspire people in a way that we never could...”

Oliver smiled at his daughter, pride for her in his voice. “I’m gonna keep saying it, you’re amazing, Sweetheart.”

“Thanks, daddy.”

Oliver smiled. “Lexy’s right. You can watch over your city like a guardian angel... Making a difference... Saving people... In a flash. Take your own advice. Wear a mask.” He looked at Lexy. “Let’s go. Maybe you can meet up with Roy.”

She nodded. Before she left the roof with her father. She walked up to Barry, her heels from her suit hitting the cement with a click. She hugged the lanky guy. “Mmm. I’m so glad you’re okay!” She hugged him tighter. “Mom and I were so worried.”

He smiled and hugged her back. “Me too, Kiddo.” He kissed the top of her head.

Lexy smiled at Grace. “Thank you so much for the bird. It was very thoughtful of you.”

“You’re very welcome, Alex—”

“Call me Lexy,” she smiled. “All my friends do.”

Grace nodded. “Lexy it is.”

She smiled. She pulled out something from her belt and walked to the edge. Oliver fired a grappling hook arrow and then Lexy propelled her own grappling hook to the building across the street. Grace and Barry both ran to the edge of the building and watched as Lexy and Oliver propelled down to the building.

“Cool,” they said in unison.

Oliver and Lexy both sat on the side of the building and watched as Barry ran and Grace flew back to their city. “Cool,” Oliver said smiling.

* * *

 

Once they entered Central City limits, Barry stopped and so did Grace. Grace gracefully landed and looked at her brother. “So, what’s the next step, B?”

“Let’s go back to the precinct, I wanna check something out.”

She nodded and like in Starling, Barry sped off and she flew off.

Awhile later, they walked into S.T.A.R. Labs, carrying file boxes. They went into another room and Barry asked Caitlin and Cisco to come in. Grace’s heart thudded in her chest at the sight of Cisco. He looked sad. She cleared her throat. “What’s up?” Caitlin asked.

“We've been going over unsolved cases from the past nine months, and there's been a sharp increase in unexplained deaths and missing people. Your meta-humans have been busy.”

They looked down guiltily.

“Now, I'm not—”

“We’re not,” Grace interjected.

Barry nodded. “Right. We’re not blaming you. We know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. I know you all lost something. But we need your help to catch Mardon and anyone else out there like him. But we can't do it without you.”

Cisco looked at Grace. “You’re going to do it too?”

She nodded. “I have to do something,” she answered. “I can’t keep looking at these powers as a product of an accident.” She shrugged. “I want to help.” She looked into his eyes. “I want to help you build your reputation back, even if it is in secret.” She sighed. “I want to save people if I can.”

Cisco smiled. He looked at Caitlin and she gave him a look that said she agreed, he smiled. “If we're gonna do this, I have something that might help. Something I've been playing with.”

He took them into a far back room and turned it around. “Designed to replace the turnouts firefighters traditionally wear. I thought if S.T.A.R. Labs could do something nice for the community, maybe people wouldn't be so angry at Dr. Wells anymore.”

“How is it going to help me?”

“Or me?” Grace asked.

Cisco gave her an apologetic smile. “I’ll have to make yours. It’ll have to withstand all your powers, so it might take a while.”

She nodded. He looked at Barry. “It's made of a reinforced tri-polymer. It's heat and abrasive resistant, so it should withstand your moving at high-velocity speeds. And the aerodynamic design should help you maintain control. Plus, it has built-in sensors so we can track your vitals and stay in contact with you from here.”

“Thanks. Now how do we find Mardon?”

“I retasked S.T.A.R. Labs satellite to track meteorological abnormalities over Central City. We just got a ping. Atmospheric pressure dropped 20 millibars in a matter of seconds. I've tracked it to a farm just west of the city.”

Barry turned to his sister. “Go put something else on that Joe can’t figure out it’s you. No logos or anything, just something plain.”

She nodded. “Color preference?”

He shook his head. “No.”

She walked off to get ready, but stopped when her brother called her name. “Yes?”

“You’re taking the lead.”

“Wha—what?”

“You’re the only one of the two of us that has similar powers, Kiddo.”

She nodded nervously.

A few moments later, she came back wearing a hoodie and jeans. “Yep. Decided I need a different outfit and quick.” She looked at her brother. “This isn’t going to work.”

He laughed. “It’ll have to do for now.” He smiled. “Come on.”

* * *

 

They got to the farm just in time to see Clyde building up the wind to form a tornado. They watched for a few moments and then they both took off as a roof to one of the barns started flying toward Joe and Eddie. Barry took off and knocked it out of their way.

Mardon has formed a tornado, Grace realizes and watches as it heads toward the city. She straightened thinking of what Barry had told her about theoretically stopping a tornado. Microwaves. A blast of microwaves could stop it! She smiled.

She straightened and held out her arms to her sides. She closed her eyes. On the ground Joe watched as a red orb like light seem to come from the sky and charge the woman standing in front of him. He watched as she took whatever was charging her body and moved her arms out in front of her, pointing them at Mardon.

The blast was aimed at the tornado that was headed for the city and began to loosen. She turned her head to where Joe saw a man in red leather and yelled, “Unravel it!”

The man in the leather looked at her. “What?!”

“Unravel it!” she yelled above the roar of the wind. “I’m stopping it, and it’s slowly breaking up but if you run in the opposite direction it’ll unravel which will destroy it and make him powerless!”

“Barry!” Caitlin exclaimed. “Your body may not be able to handle those speeds. You’ll die.”

“Then we die!” she said.

“We have to try!” Barry told them. He looked at Grace. “Can you hold on for a little bit longer?”

She nodded. “Yeah, but if you want in on it you may wanna hurry up. It’s starting to break up quicker now.”

He nodded. He heard Caitlin trying to talk him out of it. “Caitlin, I gotta try. Grace’s never steered me wrong before. I trust her.”

Barry ran around the tornado from the inside. As it started to work and they were both breaking it up, Mardon hit him with a bolt of lightning and he flew out and away. Grace came over and landed in a kneeling position.

Wells gave them a pep talk and they tried again. Barry looked up at her. “We do this together. Can you blast it with that beam again?”

She nodded. “I think so.”

He nodded. “Good. Do it.”

She nodded and landed. She held her arms out at her sides again and that same red beam shot down and absorbed into her body. She then threw her arms out in front of her, palms facing Mardon and the beam started breaking up the tornado.

He began running again. Moments later, the tornado dissipated. Throwing both Grace and Barry to the ground. She rolled and pulled the hood off. She stood and looked. Mardon was holding a gun to them both. “Oh, crap!”

Barry looked to where Grace was standing and stood between her and Mardon. When he raised his gun to fire, two shots rang out and Mardon fell down dead. Grace sighed, relieved. She fell to her knees and started panting.

“Barry!” Caitlin exclaimed.

Barry sat up and looked at his sister. “I’m okay. We’re okay.”

* * *

 

Daybreak, Joe, Grace and Barry leaned against one of the patrol cars neither really saying a word. Grace was for sure thinking they were going to get yelled at. But all Joe asked was, “What you can do... It was the lightning bolt?”

“More or less.”

He looked at Grace. “What about you?”

“Um….wave of energy from the explosion,” she explained in the simplest way possible.

There was a pause and then Joe said, “I'm sorry, Barry. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. And I called you crazy for chasing the impossible. But you really did see something that night your mom died. And your dad is innocent.”

Joe came around to stand in front of both Barry and Grace. “I need you to promise me something. Both of you. I don't want you telling Iris about anything you can do, any of it. I want her safe. Promise me.”

“Yeah,” they said in unison.

Grace sighed and looked up at Barry. “Can we go see daddy?”

He looked down at her. “Sure. Come on.”

* * *

 

They walked into the visitor section of Iron Heights and waited for their father. Henry Allen smiled at both of them. He picked up the phone and said, “Hey, slugger.” He turned his smile to Grace. “Hi, Princess.”

She laughed. “Hi, daddy.”

Barry chuckled. “You've been calling me that since I was 11.” He scoffed. “Funny thing is, I finally got into a fight today.”

“You just got out of a coma. I'm not sure you should be picking fights.”

He looked down at the desk.

“Hey... Did you win?”

Barry and Grace snickered. “Yeah, I did.”

They talked to him for a couple of hours and then as they walked out of the prison, Barry turned to Grace. “I’m so glad you were out there with me, Sis.”

She smiled and hugged him at his torso. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be, Big Brother.” She looked up at him. “I love you, B.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I love you too, G.” He tucked her head under his chin. “What was that beam?”

She laughed. “Microwaves.” She looked up at him again, this time resting her chin on his chest. “I remembered how you told me theoretically that microwaves could break up a tornado. Thought I’d test the theory.”

He laughed and kissed the top of her head again. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

 


	4. The Fastest Man Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace gets her new suit. 
> 
> Grace wants to be treated like an adult and not be tested on all the time. Barry begins to doubt himself and their mission. 
> 
> Grace and Cisco have a couple cute moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the first 2 chapters seemed clunky but I promise this one is better.

“Grace, I got your suit done.”

“Yay!” she exclaimed, jumping up and down like a five year old getting a new pony. “Let me see.”

He snickered. “Come on.”

Barry took her hand and walked with her to the room where Cisco had been building her suit for awhile now. He spun around the display that it was on. It was white and red with red emblem like Barry’s and yellow lightning bolt with the Earth in the center of the bolt. Grace looked it up and down and noticed something. She folded her arms over her chest. “Why is it shorts?”

“Well, uh…..?” Cisco eyed his friend. If he told her the real reason as to why she probably wouldn’t believe him.

Caitlin laughed. “We thought it would be more aerodynamic that way.”

“Really?” she asked. “Why?”

“You can move around better,” Cisco finally spoke.

She smirked. “And here I thought it was because you liked my legs.” She shrugged at her brother and said, “Huh. Okay. I’ll try it on.” She looked around. “Where’s the boots and the mask?”

Caitlin held out a pair of red and white high-heeled ankle length boots and red mask. She disappeared into another room and came out about 5-minutes later completely dressed from head to toe. She twirled for her brother to see. “What do you think?”

Barry looked at her from head to toe. The entire outfit from the jacket to the boots looked amazing. smiled. “You look amazing, Gracie.”

She squealed and walked over to Cisco. She hugged him. “Thank you!”

“Uh….” his heart was thudding in his chest like a hammer. “….you’re welcome.”

“Try it out,” Caitlin said to her.

“How?” she asked. “We’re inside.”

Caitlin smiled. “Fly around the inside of the building.”

She nodded. “Okay.” She pushed off the floor gently and levitated. She then sped off and flew around the building heading through the corridors first and then came back a few minutes later. She landed. “You’re right. Shorts are more aerodynamic.”

Barry and Caitlin both laughed and walked away. Cisco smirked, proudly. He walked up to her and whispered, “Still the best legs in the World, Gaia.”

Grace spun around and looked at him. “What did you call me?” she asked. It was loud enough that both Barry and Caitlin looked at them too.

“Gaia,” he told her. “I thought of it because of the whole elemental power thing. Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. It’s all what makes Mother Nature.” He shrugged. “If you don’t like it I can—”

“No, no, no!” she said quickly. “I like it. A lot.” Not worrying about the fact that her brother and Caitlin were in the room she closed the gap between herself and Cisco and kissed him more firmly on the mouth. “Thank you,” she whispered. “You’re the best.”

Heat curled inside of him as his heart almost literally skipped a beat. She’d been doing that a lot lately. Light touches, pecks on the lips, giving him a tiny little taste. It was like she was trying to seduce him into something. What he didn’t know, but if he was being honest with himself it was working.

She cleared her throat. “I’m gonna go change. Do you think we can figure out a place to put this thing like we do Barry’s or do I not get a glass case to store my suit?”

He laughed softly. “You got one, Grace.”

She smiled. “Good.”

Barry smirked at his friend after his sister left the room. “Dude, you and my sister….?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“She told me you were just friends, but that’s more than just….” he said.

Cisco sighed. “I don’t know. After the accident and you going into a coma longer than her, we became friends. I don’t want to ruin that.”

“And you thought that she didn’t need the constant remind of the day that changed her life?” Barry inquired gently.

He nodded. He sighed. “Well there is that,” he muttered. “I know it was stupid.” He stared at the floor.

“Not stupid,” Caitlin assured him. “Just maybe a little misguided.”

“Cisco, she doesn’t see that day as the as the day that changed her life because of the explosion,” Barry admitted. “She sees it as the day that changed her life because she met you.”

Cisco’s head immediately jerked up. “What? H-H-H-How do you know?”

“Because she told me,” he said. “I can honestly tell you that the only time that the explosion ever comes up is when she talks about you in the sense that she believes that the explosion changed your feelings for her. Then she feels like an idiot because it was only one date, so why is she feeling the way she is.”

Grace walked in and put the suit on Cisco’s chair. “There ya go,” she said and then looked around at everyone. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” they all said in unison.

She looked at all 3 of the people in her life and knew something had happened until she walked into the room. “Yep. Nothing’s going on.” She nodded. She knew better than that.

* * *

 

The next day, Barry ran through town to get to Western and 3rd in downtown Central City. While Grace went to help put the fire out. She knew from listening to the fire calls that the firefighters were going to be a few more minutes.

“Okay, Gracie, do you think you could put the fire out?” Barry asked.

“Probably,” she said as she flew through the air. “If I can be by a water source. I can’t magically make water to put it out. And I haven’t tried the whole blowing on it thing like you do a candle. So, as long as I’m near a hydrant or something I should be good.”

“The fire department’s not there yet, so you may have to help put it out,” Cisco told her.

“Got it.”

“Barry? Barry!”

“What? Did I miss it?”

“You overshot by about six blocks.”

“My bad,” he muttered. Over his comm he could hear his sister snicker. He chuckled softly. “Shut up, Gracie.”

“See you when you get here, Big Brother.”

She landed on the ground, just as Barry was getting there. He ran inside to get the people out.

While Grace found a hydrant basically on the sidewalk in front of the building. She walked up to the lid of the hydrant and put her hands on it. She rested them there for a second, feeling the metal melt a little, and then pulled. Just as she thought, it popped right off. The water began spurting out of the hydrant and she dropped the lid and then brought up her hands.

Keeping her hands at her sides, she pushed off the ground and the water followed. She threw her hands from the side out and the water swirled halfway around her and went into the building. She straightened and put her hands in front of her as the water bounced off her hands into the building.

The fire trucks pulled up to the building and the guys got out and stared in awe at the woman in the white and red suit who was putting the fire out. She looked down and smiled. She threw her voice, “Ready to take over, boys?” _Thank God for sound manipulation as a part of my powers._

They nodded slowly and she landed on the ground, the water now spraying upward. “Go hook up,” she told them. “I got it until I run out.”

They quickly hooked up the hose to the hydrant and she dropped her hands once she ran out of the source. She smiled, gave a swift nod and then flew off. The firemen looked up and in awe still. “Who was that?”

“I have no idea.”

“Barry, Grace, it's Caitlin.”

Grace winced and smiled when she heard her brother’s voice very cautiously say, “Hey, Caitlin. How's your day?”

“Get back to S.T.A.R. Labs. Both of you. Now.”

“On my way.”

Grace sighed. “Me too,” she muttered. _When in the Hell had Caitlin become Den mom?_

* * *

 

They got back to S.T.A.R. Labs and Grace stood with her hands on her hips as she listened to Caitlin lighting into all 3 of them.

“Have you both lost your minds? Who do you think you are?”

“Well, I'm the eyes and ears, and he's the feet. And she’s our eyes in the skies,” Cisco said giving her a flirtatious smile.

Grace scoffed, shaking her head, even though her insides were flip-flopping.

“This isn't funny. You could have gotten yourselves killed. You can't be running around the city like some supersonic fireman.” She looked at Grace. “I expected you to be the mature one out of the three of you.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on….”

“Why not? This is what we talked about: Me using my speed to do good. And Tori did an amazing job. She saved that building—”

“We talked about you helping us contain other people who might have been affected by the particle accelerator explosion. Meta-humans. And aside from Clyde Mardon, we haven't found any.”

Grace exhaled deeply.

“People in this city still need help.” He sighed. “And I can help them.”

“ _We_ can help them,” Cisco insisted.

Caitlin looked past Barry and said, “Will you please say something?”

“I think what Caitlin is saying, in her own spectacularly angry way, is that we are just beginning to understand what your body is capable of. Not to sound like a broken record, Mr. Allen... I do caution restraint.” He looked at Tori. “And you need to be careful who you expose your powers to, Miss Allen.”

She rolled her eyes. “They were firemen. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Again, like your brother, restrain yourself.”

“Dr. Wells... I doubt restraint is how you got to be the man you are today.”

“In a wheelchair and a pariah. Lack of restraint is what made me these things. Know your limits.”

Caitlin walked around Barry and looked at both of them. “Don't expect me to patch you up every time you break something.”

Grace exhaled. “Whatever. When y’all are actually ready to stop treating us like freaking lab rats let me know,” she told them. She looked at Barry and Cisco as she picked up her bag and clothes. “You know where to find me.”

He turned to Barry. He put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Hey, uh...anything happen out there today? The sensors in the suit were kicking back some weird telemetry, like your vitals spiked for a few seconds.”

Barry shook his head. “Never felt better.”

* * *

 

Grace walked into the precinct, dressed in the same square-neck black bodycon pencil dress she had worn to start her day. She was meeting Barry and Iris both here so that all 3 of them could go see Simon Stagg get an award.

“Hey, Grace!”

She turned and smiled at Eddie as he approached her. “Hi, Eddie, what’s up?”

“Is Iris supposed to come with you?”

She nodded. “Yeah. She should be here any minute.” She smirked. “Do you not speak to each other or what?”

He laughed. “She still hasn’t told Joe about us so I wanted to know if she was still coming that way I could use the excuse I used.”

She laughed. “Okay. She should be here any minute,” she told him.

He nodded. “Thanks. Oh, um….Grace?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Great dress.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Detective.” She walked upstairs to her brother’s lab and smiled as he started beating one of his machines. “I think you’d have better luck if you put that thing out of it’s misery and buy another one.”

He smiled. “Hey, Kiddo. How’s your day?”

“Going well.” She flinched slightly when he slapped the machine again. She put her hands on the table and whispered, “Just speed mix it.” She gave him the sly smile she had since they were kids. “I won’t tell.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. Just like you didn’t tell mom that I had decided to ride my bike from one end of the City to the other.”

She shrugged. “You could have just taken me with you, Big Brother.”

He chuckled. “Right. You hadn’t even gotten your training wheels off yet, Gracie.”

She held up a finger and said, “Hey, that’s not my fault. Dad was busy and he wanted to be the one to teach me to ride.”

He laughed. “Watch the door, Sassy Pants.”

She smiled and kept an eye on the door. He did as she had suggested and speed mixed it. He put it in a holder and she turned to walk with him to the table as he pulled his glove off. Grace noticed that as he walked to the table he seem to get lightheaded and almost fell into the table. She rushed to him. “Are you okay?” She asked in a whisper, concern noted.

He nodded just as they heard Iris walking in. “This is all of your fault. I could have taken European folklore to cover my sociology requirement, but no. You said, "take journalism, Iris. Reporters have all of the fun." Guess what, Barry? Reporters have none of the fun. Journalism is boring. I'm bored. I blame you.”

Barry couldn’t help but stare at how nice she was looking that day. Both Grace and Iris looked at him a little confused. “What? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“You look really nice.”

Grace scoffed, throwing her arms up in frustration. “Hmm….imagine that. He noticed you’re looking nice today, but not me.” She nodded. “ _His sister._ ” She slapped his shoulder. “Thanks, Barry.”

She laughed softly and looked at her best friend. “Thanks. Why don't you look nice?” He still looked at her very confused. To help jog his memory she said, “This afternoon? Suit and tie? The university is giving Simon Stagg...”

“Simon Stagg.”

“Some big award. And you agreed—”

“To explain the science stuff for your article. It's all coming back to me now.”

“How fast can you get home and change?”

“Uh, pretty fast.”

“Hey, Allen. Joe asked me to see where you're at on the evidence from the gun store shooting.” Eddie’s eyes slid to Iris looking very stoic. “Oh, hey, Iris.”

“Detective.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “Barry, fix it. It’s about as bad as Saturday when I invited dad, you, Iris and Eddie to dinner at my house.”

He snickered. He looked at the couple. “Please, guys, uh, just kiss already. I already know, remember?”

They come together and kiss. “Ah. Thanks for being so cool about this, Barry. I know it's not easy keeping a big secret.”

He sighed. “I'm getting used to it.”

Grace laughed softly, walked to him and bumped her brother’s shoulder. “Hey, we’re in this together.”

“How do you mean?”

“We’ve both been friend-zoned.”

He smiled and kissed her hair. “I’m gonna run home and meet you and Iris at the University, okay?”

She nodded and kissed his cheek. “Be careful.”

He smiled and walked out of the lab.

* * *

 

The applause filled the room as Barry, Iris and Grace listened to the speech. Grace looked around the room. It was quite the turnout. There were the who’s who from Central City there and some from Starling City.

“I find it quite remarkable, having once been a timid freshman at Central City University, to be standing before you now, the regents choice for man of the year. While I very much appreciate the award, the real honor for me is knowing that my work in organ transference helps give people a second chance at life. Thank you all very much for coming.”

“Okay. All right, first things first... Simon Stagg's work in cellular cloning has led to huge advancements in the future of organ replacement...”

Grace smirked as she watched her brother seem to light for the subject matter and the woman on his arm. A tray full of champagne slid by Iris and she grabbed 2. “Are journalists allowed to drink on the job?” She handed one to him.

Both Barry and Grace snickered. He took them from her. “Okay.” He put them on the table. “If you are bored already, just wait till we get to the science behind cellular regeneration.”

Iris smiled hugely as Grace walked away to get a few photos. Iris looped her arm through his again. “I have missed this, Barry. I feel like we haven't spent any quality time together since you woke up from the coma.” She moved in front of him and smiled up at him.

Barry’s heart thundered in his chest so loud he was for sure she could hear it. “Yeah, I've had a crazy few weeks, I know.”

She gave him a sheepish smile. “I thought maybe you'd been avoiding me because of Eddie. I know you think it's wrong, me dating my dad's partner, and I just—”

“No. That is not it. At all.”

Simon walked past the pair and Iris exclaimed, “Oh! Oh! Mr. Stagg, I was wondering if I could get a quote from you for my article.”

“Not now, miss.”

“I'll just make something up.”

Barry laughed.

Grace caught Iris’ eye and walked to Simon. “Mr. Stagg. Hi, I’m Grace Allen, Central City Picture News. May I take your photo for the article and possibly get a quote to caption the photo with?” she asked with an innocent smile.

Sim smiled at her. “Sure, Miss Allen.”

Grace exchanged a triumphant smile with her brother and sister. Iris shook her head and looked up at Barry. “How does she do that?”

He shook his head, smiling. “I have no idea. It’s a gift.”

She laughed wryly. “Yeah.” She expression softened. “So... What were you gonna tell me? You looked like you were about to say something.”

“Yeah—”

Gunshots rang out and Barry grabbed Iris and hit the floor. He looked around for his sister. She quickly moved to her brother and he held her hand.

The masked man looked at everyone. “How considerate! You're all wearing your finest jewelry! Almost like you knew we were coming to rob you!”

The crowd gasped. The man in charge said, “Now everybody line up!”

Iris and Grace dropped their jewels into the bag and Barry attempted to stop him, but Iris stopped him. “Don't. Don't.”

A security came around the corner and held his gun out. “Freeze! D-d-drop your weapons!”

Grace narrowed her eyes at the gunmen. She looked at Barry and muttered, “They’re going to shoot. Sometimes I wish that dad didn’t have us keep this from her or I’d use something out of my powers to stop this jackass.”

He nodded and kissed her hair again. “I know, I know.” He was poised to get ready to speed off with the security guard in case Grace was right and they started firing.

As she had predicted they did fire and he took off speedily with the security guard. He put him outside and attempted to stop the robbers. While the robbers ran, Grace pulled her phone out and dialed Joe. “Dad.”

“Gracie, what’s wrong, Sweetheart?”

“We have a problem,” she told him. She began telling him what happened. She then hung up and looked at Iris. “Do you see Barry?”

She shook her head. “No. Where is he?”

“Come on. Let’s go look for him.”

They looked everywhere and then headed outside. Grace found him propped on a dumpster. “Iris! Found him.”

Iris sighed. “Oh, thank God.” They rushed to him and Iris knelt beside him. While Grace knelt on the other side. Iris attempted to wake him, “Barry. Barry. Barry!”

His eyes fluttered open and he looked from Iris to Grace. Iris began explaining. “I turned around and you were gone. What happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I... I went after them to try and get the plates.”

“Wha--?” Iris said perplexed.

“And I... I fainted.”

They went back inside. “Hi. Iris,” Eddie said happily.

“Where were you?” Joe asked firmly.

“Dad, go easy. I found him outside. He fainted.”

Eddie looked genuinely concerned. “You want me to get you a paramedic, Allen?”

“No, I'm fine. Thanks, Eddie.”

Grace smiled. “He just didn’t eat breakfast this morning. He’ll be okay.”

Off to the side they heard, “I thought I was dead. I saw the gun go off, and then-- boom. Suddenly I'm outside. I have no idea how I got there.”

Joe looked at both Barry and Tori. “Let me talk to you for a second.”

“Yeah.”

“You chased those gunmen, didn't you?” Joe asked looking at them both.

Grace shook her head. “Don’t look at me. I stayed with Iris.”

Barry looked at his sister and then Joe. “She’s right….” His words trailed off when he seen that Joe’s expression wasn’t budging. “Yeah, they must be the same guys that knocked over the gun shop earlier today.”

“And what were you going to do when you caught them? Huh?”

Barry attempted to answer, but Joe continued, “Ask them nicely to pull over? You're not bulletproof. Wait. Are you?”

“No, but—”

“Okay. No more heroics. Chasing bad guys is not your job. It's mine.” He looked at both Barry and Grace. “You're not a cop. Neither one of you are. Promise me.”

“Promise,” they said in unison.

“And you know Iris is not stupid. Start making better excuses than "I fainted."

“I...”

“Which is why I elaborated, dad.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. He walked away and Barry sighed. Tori looked up at her brother. “Is it just me or are you getting tired of people telling us what we can and cannot do with our powers?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

She exhaled slowly. “Let’s get you back to the Lab. If we wait any longer to figure out what’s wrong with you then Caitlin’ll have a coronary.”

He laughed. “Right. Come on.”

* * *

 

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco was examining him, while Grace and Wells observed. And Caitlin was lecturing him. “You lied to us.”

Grace exhaled. “I told you she’d freak.”

He smiled.

“How could you not tell us you're experiencing dizzy spells? We're your doctors. God knows what's going on inside your body. Your cells are in a constant state of flux. You could be experiencing cardiopulmonary failure or a transient ischemic attack.”

Barry looked to Wells for clarification.

“Mini stroke. Probably not.”

Grace looked at her friend. As much as she cared about Caitlin, sometimes her attitude got to her. “Or….it could just be that his blood sugar is just too low.”

“What?” Caitlin asked indignantly.

“You heard me.”

Caitlin shook her off dismissively. “You of all people should know that in science, we share. We do not keep secrets.” She stormed off.

“Wow... I haven't seen anyone make her that angry since Ronnie,” Cisco said handing Wells the tablet.

“Ronnie was Caitlin's fiancé? The one that died the night of the accelerator explosion?”

“Yeah. He is... missed.”

Grace came closer to the 2 men. “I don’t mean to sound like a total heartless bitch here, but she is aware that Barry’s not Ronnie, right?”

They both looked at her kind of weird.

She sighed. “I’m just saying. That’s a **_lot_** of anger for something like this. I mean I’ve been thinking it’s weird that she flipped out on us earlier for the fire thing and then now with you getting lightheaded. She’s kinda yelling at Barry as if….”

Barry stopped her with a shake of his head. Wells smiled at Grace and then looked at Barry. “Now... Let's figure out why this is happening to you.”

Grace raised her hand. “I still say it’s low blood sugar. His metabolism is going too fast.”

Caitlin rolled her eyes. “You’ve got a degree in Photography. What do you know?”

Cisco glared at his friend. “That’s not her only degree, Caitlin. She’s got several others. Mostly in science.”

“Really and you know this how?” Caitlin asked.

“Because she’s my best friend and it’s my job to know this.”

She exhaled. “I have five degrees. One in photography. Others in Psychology, chemistry, computer science and biology.” Her eyes narrowed. “And just because I don’t have the prefix of Doctor before my name doesn’t mean I’m a complete idiot, Dr. Snow. And just because as Cisco put it a few months ago—I look like a supermodel—doesn’t mean that I have no idea what you’re talking about. And the reason why I know about the low blood sugar thing is because I get lightheaded if I don’t eat in twelve hours.” When she finished she stormed away.

Barry closed his eyes and shook his head. Caitlin turned to Barry, but before she could apologize, Wells said, “Wow…she’s sensitive.”

Barry nodded. “Yeah. She looks exactly like our mom and because she’s so beautiful Grace’s always been misunderstood as the dumb cheerleader type. So, yeah, she gets a little sensitive when people make assumptions of her intelligence.”

“Barry, I’m sorry. I didn’t—”

He stopped her. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to, Caitlin.” He looked at Cisco who was watching the door. “She’ll be back once she does one of two things or both. Cool down or cry.”

“She cries when she’s angry?”

Cisco chuckled and looked at his friend. “Yeah. She cries at almost everything.”

Barry exhaled. “Even though it may seem that Gracie carries a hard exterior she actually carries her heart on her sleeve,” he explained. “And can be easily hurt and get upset by the slightest of rejections.” He scratched his forehead. “She’s been that way since we were kids.” He shrugged. “I think she’ll always be that way.”

* * *

 

By the time they got everything set up to test Barry, Grace had come back. She sat in the back of the computer area while her brother ran on a treadmill that Cisco had reconfigured. Caitlin looked at the read out on the screen. “Heart rate, blood pressure, nerve conduction all normal.”

“For Barry,” Wells reminded her.

“Brainwave function within standard limits.”

Cisco laughed. “I told you the treadmill could take it.”

Grace snickered and walked to him. She had no idea why she did it, maybe it was to feel close to someone or maybe it was to feel the connection that they had for a brief moment, but she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Cisco looked up at her as she rested her chin on his shoulder. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered. Realizing what she was doing, she straightened, but before she could drop one of her hands, he took it and kissed her fingers.

“Caitlin. Look at the glucose levels.”

She glanced at the screen. “Oh, my God. Of course.”

Wells looked at Grace. “You were right, Miss Allen.”

Her eyes widened slightly. She knew she was right. This was her brother, but it was surprising to hear him say it. “Excuse me?”

“You were right,” Caitlin said. “Come look.”

She glanced at the screen and her jaw dropped slightly. “Oh, my God….that’s a whole lot of….calories he’s gonna have to recover.”

Wells chuckled. “To say the least.” He hit the comm. “Barry! We think we know why you keep—”

Barry fell off the treadmill and hit the boxes hard. Tori winced, knowing that had to hurt initially.

“—passing out,” Wells finished.

* * *

 

Several hours later, Barry awoke with a groan. “I passed out again?”

Grace helped him up as Caitlin explained. “Total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia.”

He smiled at his sister. “You were right.”

She smiled. “It’s bound to happen from time to time, Big Brother.”

“I'm not eating enough. So, an I.V. bag and I'm good to go?”

Wells chuckled. “Try 40. Guess you were thirsty.”

Caitlin looked at him. “We're gonna need to fashion you a new diet based on your metabolic changes.”

“I've done a few calculations. You need to consume an amount equal to roughly 850 tacos. Unless we're talking cheese and guac, which is like a whole other set of equations.”

Barry shook his head as Grace laughed and said, “You’re adorable.”

“For Mexican, I recommend Tito's. On Bruckner Avenue? Best burrito in the city.”

Both Barry and Grace turned. Joe was walking into the lab.

“Detective West. What brings you to S.T.A.R. Labs?”

He looked at Barry. “When I couldn't find you at your lab, I started doing a little research. Turns out there's been reports of a red streak around the city, and an unidentified flying object stopping muggers, rescuing people from burning buildings. Helping the firemen until they can get there.”

Wells turned to them both. “You didn't tell him we were working together?”

“Joe, I can explain.”

Joe looked at both of his kids. “You both already have jobs.” He pointed to Grace. “You have an office job working with photographs,” he pointed at Barry, “and you already have a job in law enforcement, Barry. I suggest you get back to it.”

“Mm-hmm,” Caitlin said in agreement. Joe glared at her. “Don't look at me. I'm on your side.”

“Detective. We all want what's best for Barry and Grace.”

“If you wanted what was best for them,” Joe told him. “You'd try to talk them out of this lunacy instead of encouraging them to risk their lives.”

Grace straightened. “Are you serious right now?”

Barry took her hand. “You saw a man control the weather. What are the police gonna do against someone like that? Since the accelerator explosion we suspect there may be more like him.”

“And you're gonna do what? Catch them? Are you insane? You think because you can run real fast that you're invincible? You're not! You're just a kid. My kid.”

Grace exhaled and turned to Cisco. “Oh, boy,” she muttered.

“I'm not your kid, Joe. And you're not my father.” He stood and walked to Joe. “My father's sitting in Iron Heights. Wrongfully convicted. You were wrong about him. And you're wrong about this. Now I may not be able to help him, but if I can save someone from a burning building or stop some armed thieves, I'm gonna do it. And you can't stop me. So don't try.”

Grace looked at the man that had raised her for 14 years. “We’re not kids anymore. I’m not a child.” She looked the scientist. “I’m with Barry on this.” She looked at the man she loved more than anything in the world. “Joe, these powers came by accident, so instead of you all holding us back because you’re scared of what might happen, why don’t you let us turn something that hurt everyone in this room into something good.”

“Grace,” Joe began.

“No, Joe. I’m serious. I have several powers inside of me. Powers that can help a lot of people. But if you don’t loosen the reins—” she glanced at everyone in the room—“we can’t grow. We can’t figure them out for ourselves if you don’t let us.” She walked to him. “I have to figure this out myself. I have to learn how to control them myself. Not you.” She looked at each of them and said, “And not you, or you or you. Me.”

Joe’s eyes welled a little more with tears as he realized he was alone in this. “You think you're so smart. All of you. But you don't know what you don't know. And I hope that you're clever enough to figure it out before somebody gets killed.”

He walked out and Barry lowered himself to the bed. Grace turned to him. “Barry, that was uncalled for.”

“Gracie, don’t—”

“Too bad,” she said. “That man raised us when no one else wanted us. He made sure our entire lives wasn’t uprooted. He made sure that your best friend could still be your best friend. Do not think that the man doesn’t care about us because you’d be wrong on that, Barry. He loves us just as much as he loves Iris and you know it.”

He nodded. “I know.” He looked into her matching blue eyes. “I promise I’ll apologize.”

She nodded. “See that you do.” She looked at everyone else in the room. “And as for the rest of you. We’re not test subjects, we’re people. And I hate the fact that you keep saying contained as if having these powers is a bad thing.” She sighed. “Now, I understand you care, but if you don’t let us explore these damn powers then how in the hell are you ever going to know what they do, huh? Whether his regenerative healing could help heal others, huh? And what else I can do. The only way we’re ever going to know is to actually use them.” Without another word she turned on her heel and walked out.

Cisco exhaled by puffing out his cheeks. “Wow….she can definitely give lectures, huh?”

Barry laughed. “You have no idea. She reminds me of mom that way.”

* * *

 

The next day, while at work, Grace got a call from her brother. She smiled at the editors in the room and answered, “Uh….I can’t talk right now.”

“It’s Joe. He needs us. And by us—”

“I know what you mean,” she said. “I’ll be right there,” she told him. She looked at the others in the room. “I’d hate to do this, but I gotta run. Family emergency.” As she quickly walked back to her office to drop her stuff off, she called Barry again. “Where are you headed?”

“Stagg Industries. Joe was headed there to talk to Simon.”

“Be right there,” she told him and shut and locked her office door. She opened her closet door and unzipped the garment bag that hung in there. She quickly changed and then opened the window of her office. She flew out.

* * *

 

They rushed into Stagg Industries and disarmed the gunmen. Barry looked down at Joe, dropping the guns in front of him. “Go.”

Joe looked up at him and defiantly said, “No.”

He lifted him up and ran him out. Grace formed a ball in her hand and threw it at one of the men. As soon as it hit him, the man multiplied. She stopped. “What the hell….?”

She tried again and again, until Barry came back. “He’s multiplying, Barry.”

They fought him hand to hand combat, but as she had said he multiplied. The more they made of themselves the more that ended up surrounding them and kicking their asses. Realizing that they were going to kill them, Grace lifted her brother up and flew him out of the building with her. She stumbled into the fence outside.

She looked at him. “What the fuck was that? The more we hit him the more of them there were.”

He shook his head and sighed. “I have no idea. Let’s go.”

They walked into S.T.A.R. Labs and Cisco was immediately up out of the chair. “Grace!”

She winced as Cisco touched one of her abrasions. “ _Corazon_ ,” he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Her eyes lifted to his and her heart fluttered in her chest. _Do not read too much into that, Grace. You know he doesn’t mean it the way you want him to._ “It’s not your fault.”

They patched them up and then Wells brought up the Multiplier’s photo. “Danton Black.” He sighed. “He's a bio-geneticist specialized in therapeutic cloning. Growing new organs to replace failing ones.”

“Apparently Stagg stole his research and then fired him.”

Grace scoffed. “Well, that would definitely make me want to seek revenge.”

“We saw Black create duplicates from his own body.”

“That's pretty ironic. The guy specialized in cloning and now he can make xeroxes of himself,” Cisco pointed out.

“If he was experimenting on himself when he was exposed to the dark matter wave released by the particle accelerator explosion—”

“Meet Captain Clone.”

They all gave Cisco a look that said, ‘Really?’”

His face fell. “Don't worry. I’ll come up with something cooler.”

Barry started walking out.

“Where are you going?” Caitlin asked.

“Joe was right. I'm in way over my head. Yeah, I'm fast, but I am no warrior. Man, I could barely fight one meta-human, let alone six.”

“We’ll figure out a way. We always do.”

Barry smiled at Grace. She was always trying to be optimistic. “Not this time, Grace.”

“Barry. I understand. Today was a setback. But any grand enterprise has them. And we can never learn to fly without crashing a few times,” Wells told him.

“This wasn't a grand enterprise, Dr. Wells. This was a mistake.”

Grace sighed. “Great,” she muttered. She started walking out.

“Gracie—”

She exhaled. “Not now, Cisco, please.” She turned and started walking toward the front entrance.

Cisco sighed and chased after her. But he wasn’t fast enough apparently because she was gone.

* * *

 

Barry and Grace both got called back to S.T.A.R. Labs and once they entered the place, they saw what looked like Danton Black. Barry fidgeted like he wanted to react.

“Barry, it's okay.”

“It is not okay. Black is here, and he's just...standing there. That's not him, is it?”

“It's one of his replicates.”

“But how?” Grace asked walking up to the guy and waving her hand in front of his face.

“I grew him,” Caitlin told them.

“You grew him?” Grace asked.

She nodded. “I isolated a sample of Black's blood from you suit to see if I could trigger the in vitro cultivation process and learn how Black multiplies. So, I exposed the target cells to a protein gel, and they began replicating...into that.”

“Why isn't he... It doing anything?”

Grace waved her hand in front of the clone again. “Because he can’t.”

Wells smiled. “Grace’s right. We did a brain scan. Involuntary motor functions are active, little else.”

“We think it's acting as a receiver,” Cisco told him.

“The clones are an empty shell without Black. Shut down the real Black, and you might shut them all down.”

“But how?”

“That occurred to me given Barry’s own passing out. Black has limits, just like you. Controlling all of those clones must require a tremendous amount of physical strength. So, look for the one showing signs of weakness or fatigue. He's the prime.”

“Just a theory... But one you might want to put to the test, Mr. Allen.”

Cisco walked to him. “Plus, I whipped up these high-calorie protein bars for you to keep your metabolism up.”

Grace gasped and Caitlin shrieked when the clone began to move. Gunshots rang out and they all looked to see Joe standing behind them. “Any more of them?”

“Nope,” Caitlin said.

Barry looked at Wells. “Why did it start moving?”

“The prime. My guess is, the prime is on the move. This one heard the summons to battle.”

“And I know where he was summoned to,” Joe told him. “Stagg Industries.”

“You should call it in.”

“Police can't fight this. What Black's become, like Mardon... Beyond me. Maybe way beyond them, too. The only people it's not beyond is you two. You two have always been an amazing team. You gotta do this. I get it. So, for once in your life, do what I tell you to do. Go stop him.”

Grace smiled and ran up to Joe. She hugged him. “Mmm! I love you dad.”

He kissed her cheek. “Love you too, Sweetheart.”

They took down Black and unfortunately he died, but they knew they had achieved something. Grace sighed. “Well, I’m off to bed.” She walked to her brother and kissed his cheek. “Remember, I will always follow you, B. Not because you’re my brother, but because I trust you with every fiber of my being.”

He hugged her. “Love you, Kiddo.”

She hugged him tight. “Love you too, B.”

Maybe having them all as a team wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

* * *

 

**INSPIRATION FOR GRACE'S SUIT. EXCEPT NO FISHNETS AND GLOVES. AND HER SUIT IS THE COLORS I DESCRIBED.**


	5. Things You Can't Outrun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco realizes how much it sucks to sit on the sidelines and watch your crush go out on a date. Grace learns some revealing truths about her love life....and ex-boyfriend. 
> 
> And the team deals with a meta-human that can make poof himself into a poisonous gas.
> 
> To these guys, it's just another day in Central City.....

Caitlin walked past Cisco and smiled as she sat down in her chair. “So, where’s your appendage?”

“My what?”

She laughed. “Cisco, you and Grace have been inseparable for almost a year. Excluding work, wherever you went, she was there and vice versa. But now, she’s not. Did you fight?”

He shook his head. “No.”

She made circles with her hand to coax him to talk. “So, where is she?”

“She’s at work.”

She looked at the time. “At 8:50 at night?”

He nodded. He looked at his friend and knew she didn’t believe him. He sighed. “Her college roommate set her up on a date.”

Caitlin flinched when she heard his tone. “Tell us how you really feel, man.”

He sighed. “Sorry. It’s just that we did have plans tonight, but then she canceled them to go on this date and….”

“You’re angry?” she supplied cautiously.

He nodded, then shook his head. “I don’t know what I am. I do know that I don’t like it.”

She shook her head slowly. “Cisco, would just tell her how you feel and go out already?”

He didn’t say anything as something beeped on the computer and he turned to look. Leaving the conversation hanging on purpose. He did want to ask her out, but he didn’t want to ruin his friendship with her. And according to his brother making their relationship romantic would more than likely make him lose his friend.

* * *

 

Grace walked out of the restaurant and pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed Heather’s number. Heather was her college roommate and a really good friend….until now. The blind date was horrible. Just like any other time as soon as she started talking about herself and told him about her degrees he started getting awkward. Which is what had happened all the time. “Hey, Heather, it’s me.”

“Hey, Grace. How was the date?”

“It sucked.”

Heather sighed and said, “Oh, Grace, you didn’t start talking about your college degrees, did you?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m smart, Heather.”

“Which is why you don’t have a date. I mean, Josh wouldn’t have even asked you out and stayed with you if it wasn’t for me.”

She halted and said, “Wha—what?”

“You heard me. He called me after your date and told me that you were too much a geek for him to be seen with you.”

Her heart crashed to the pit of her stomach and her stomach flipped. She felt the lump in her throat as the tears hit her. “You know what? Don’t set me up on another date. I don’t need one.”

“Grace, you can’t be alone—”

“What do you care?” she asked. “You were all but bribing my ex to stay with me, Heather.” She sighed. “It shouldn’t be this hard to find someone and no one should feel like they have to be paid off to be with me.” She ended the call.

She closed her eyes and sighed. She canceled her plans with Cisco to have an incredibly horrible date with a guy who was threatened by her brains and then to find out that Josh never really wanted to date her to begin with. She saw the food truck on the corner and walked up. “Hi, can I get some chips, salsa and guacamole, please?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the man in the truck said. “How’s your night going?”

“Horrible,” she muttered. She shook her head and said, “Don’t ask.”

“I’m sorry you’re having a bad night.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I’m just hoping that I didn’t’ ruin everything with my best friend.”

“What do you mean?”

“I canceled plans with him to go on this date and I’m hoping he doesn’t hate me.”

He smiled. “If he’s your friend then he won’t hate you. I take it the snacks are his?”

She nodded. “It’s one of his favorites.”

* * *

 

Grace walked to Cisco’s apartment and up the stairs. She knocked on the door a few times but didn’t get an answer. She exhaled. She pulled out the pad of paper she always kept in her purse and quickly jotted him a note. She then tucked it into the cardboard box. When she walked out into the cool fall night she thought of texting him but sided against it. If he was really mad at her then he wouldn’t answer her back anyway. She sighed and started heading home.

She did however, call her brother. She smiled when she heard his usual greeting. “Hey, Kiddo. How was your date?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Guess what?”

“What?”

“Heather bribed Josh to stay with me.”

“What?” he asked a little surprised. Grace was amazing. So, why couldn’t others see that.

She exhaled. “Yeah. Apparently he thought I was a major geek and was never going to ask me out on that second date.”

“If that’s true, then why did he go out with you for a year?”

She shrugged. “Who the hell knows?” she scratched her forehead as she felt the prick of tears in her eyes and nose. “This sucks. It’s about as bad as finding out that Colin McPherson only asked me out as part of bet in high school.”

Colin McPherson was her teenage crush. She was absolutely ‘in love’ with that guy and she was on Cloud 9 when he asked her out and they started dating up until homecoming, where she found out that he and a couple other members of the basketball team had made a bet that he couldn’t sleep with her. Needless to say, he lost the bet, but Grace ended up with the broken heart in the end because he went on to date a cheerleader.

“I’m sorry, Gracie. Really I am.”

She exhaled deeply. “It’s okay. I’m gonna head home anyway. Besides, I think I may have messed up my relationship with Cisco anyway. I canceled plans with him for this damn date. And then when I went to his place to make it up to him he wasn’t home.”

“He’s at the Lab,” he told her. “He and Caitlin helped me stop a bad guy with a gun tonight.”

She nodded. Of course, he’d be at the Lab. “Right.” She sighed. “I wish I would have never asked you to not interrupt me.”

He smiled sympathetically. “That’s okay. If it makes you feel any better Iris is spending the night at Eddie’s tonight.”

“Really?” she said, a little surprised. “How do you know?”

“He called to tell her where he’d put the extra key for her when we were leaving the movies.”

“Oh, B, I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “It is, what it is. Can’t change it now.” He thought about whether to tell her about what Iris was reporting about. “Oh, guess what?”

“What?”

“Iris is convinced that there is an unidentified flying object and red streak saving people in the city.”

Her heart almost literally stopped beating. “What?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled wryly. “She’s convinced that The Streak—that’s what she’s calling me—”

“It’s better than being called a UFO, Big Brother.”

He laughed. “Very true.”

She sighed. “What do you wanna do?”

“We could try to convince her to not do it.”

She chuckled. “Right. Barry, this is Iris Ann West we’re talking about. The more we tell her not to do something, the more she has to do it. She’s stubborn that way.”

He smiled. “I know. I’ll think about it and let you know. Wanna come over?”

“Nah. I think I’m going to call it a night. Go home and take a very long lavender bubble bath.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean you fall asleep with lavender pretty quickly.”

She smiled. “It wouldn’t matter. I apparently can live under water—to an extent.”

“Really? How?”

“Water can heal me,” she explained. “Like you I can heal quickly but using the elements, just like you use your speed. Water heals me. Which is why Cisco’s getting me an aquatic healing tank.”

He chuckled. “That’s cool. Well, you enjoy your soak and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yep. Goodnight, Big Brother. Love you.”

“Love you too. Goodnight.”

* * *

 

After Joe and Barry got to a crime scene that didn’t make sense with victims who seemed to have been poisoned by a poisonous gas of some kind, they head to the lab. Barry called Grace on the way to let her know. They got to S.T.A.R. Labs before her and Barry looked at all 3 scientists and said, “Whatever you do, please, don’t mention Grace’s date last night.”

“Why? What happened?” Caitlin asked a little concerned.

“Well, honestly, it sucked. As always she lost the guy as soon as she mentioned her science degrees. Then when she called her former roommate to tell her not to set her up anymore, they argued. Heather—the roommate—revealed something to Grace last night during the fight that no one ever wants to know. It brought her back to a very humiliating event in high school, so please, don’t bring it up.” He looked at Cisco. “But she may want to ask you if you got her apology.”

He nodded. “Right.” He shook his head and then darted his eyes to the entrance when they realized she was coming.

She sighed. “Well, I’m sorry, Paige, but I don’t work for Mason Bridge. I am not his personal assistant and last I checked the man’s arrogance is the only thing broken so tell him to get his own damn coffee from Jitters.” She slammed her thumb onto the end button. “So, what is this about a poisonous gas meta-human?”

“Rough morning?” Joe asked gently.

“To say the least,” she muttered. “Apparently one of the reporters who won a Pulitzer thinks it’s my job to be at his beck and call.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but in the chain of command aren’t you higher than him?” Cisco asked.

“Technically, yes, but since he won a Pulitzer we’re supposed to cater to him apparently and today I don’t feel like it.” She looked at the team. “So, back up—"

Wells smiled. “It’s fascinating, Miss Allen. A meta-human that can manipulate poison gas.”

“Is it just poisonous gas, or can he control all aerated substances?”

“So, does this mean I get to take point on this one?” Grace asked.

As always, when they got going on the science train it was hard to derail them as shown by Caitlin as she continued the thoughts running through all of them. “And how is he able to formulate the connection? Is it physiological or psychological?”

Grace walked over to stand next to Joe and Barry. “And I’ve officially been dismissed.”

Barry chuckled. He looked her up and down and smiled. “You look beautiful. New shirt?”

She looked down at the trumpet sleeved tunic she wore. It had cut out shoulders and was tucked into her jeans in the front. “Yeah. I got it last weekend while shopping with Iris.”

Joe smiled. “Well, maroon is your color, Sweetheart.”

She laughed. “Thanks, but it’s merlot.”

“What is?” Barry asked.

“The shade of red, Big Brother. “It’s called merlot.”

Cisco smiled. “You mean connect with gases on a molecular level?”

“Yes.”

“That is ridiculously cool.”

“They get really excited about this stuff,” Barry said.

She scoffed. “You’re telling me. Remind me to tell you the running scenario Iris has going with me about Cisco later.”

He nodded. Joe looked at the scientists. “The only thing I'm excited about is putting criminals behind bars,” he told them. “Except Iron Heights isn't exactly equipped to handle meta-humans.”

“Then I guess it's fortunate the ones you've encountered so far are no longer with us.”

“Well, unless we're planning on executing every super criminal we stop, you geniuses are gonna have to come up with someplace else to hold them.”

“Dad’s right,” Grace said. “I mean we can’t kill every metahuman in the City that we take down. We’re not the Arrow.”

“The Arrow?” Cisco asked looking at her curiously.

She rolled her eyes. “There was a report about him on the news this morning. They pointed out that he’s not killing people anymore—anyway, getting back to our jobs. We got to find a way to contain these bad guys.” She seen the look on Caitlin’s face. “Yes, I said ‘contained’. However, there’s a different context.” She walked around and stopped on the other side of the table. “It’s all about the context of the words you use. Anyway, I don’t think there’s anything in the city that could hold meta-humans.”

“A meta-human prison. Sweet,” Cisco gushed.

“Until we figure a way to remove their powers.”

Cisco halted. “There is one place here that might hold them.”

Both Wells and Caitlin turned to face him. Caitlin said, “You can't be serious. I mean, we haven't been down there since—it's cordoned off.”

Grace straightened and folded her arms over her chest just like her brother.

“Cisco is right,” Wells said. “It could be modified to act as a makeshift prison.”

“What could?”

“The particle accelerator,” Wells replied.

Grace dropped her arms and her body stiffened. She’d actually been afraid to go down and look at it. “You-You-You can’t be serious.”

Cisco tilted his head and looked at her curiously. “Um….you okay?”

She exhaled. “I’ve actually been afraid of that thing since this happened.”

Cisco’s eyes dropped and she sighed. “Not you, Cisco. It’s just that…..that device changed my entire life. Whatever happened with the explosion altered my entire life and it’s kind of daunting to face it.”

Cisco’s dark eyes jerked to hers and he studied her. “You really don’t blame me, do you?”

She scoffed. She walked to her friend. “Of course not! Cisco, this wasn’t your fault. This wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was an accident. I don’t blame you for that. Either of you. And I’m adjusting to the after now. It’s all good.” She exhaled. “And I say, why not make it into the prison for the meta-humans until we can figure out a way to actually make a jail to hold them.”

Wells looked at her in awe. “They’re like you and you wanna lock them up?”

“They’re nothing like me. I don’t commit crimes. I stop them. There’s a big difference between the two. And besides, just like regular people, if they commit crimes then they need to serve their time.”

They looked at Caitlin. She seemed to have spaced out completely. “Caitlin.”

She pulled herself out of her thoughts.

“Did you hear me? We're going down to the accelerator ring.”

Barry piped up, “Actually, Dr. Wells, I could use Caitlin's help identifying the poison gas.”

“Okay.”

Barry looked at her. “If that's okay with you?”

“Let's go.”

“If you need my help call me.”

He nodded. She looked at her watch. “I gotta get back to work. I have to go over a few reporters layout suggestions and see if they would work with the pictures.”

Dr. Wells nodded. “Okay, Grace. If we need you we’ll call.”

She nodded. She looked at Cisco. “Walk me out?”

He nodded. They stayed silent as they walked for a few seconds and then she asked, “Are you mad at me?”

“No,” he answered softly. He sighed. “I mean I was mad at you, but—”

“Cisco, I’m sorry I canceled our plans last night. It was a dumb thing to do and obviously unnecessary.”

“I got the chips and salsa. However, the next time you wanna apologize just come over.”

“I was attempting to, but you weren’t home, so….”

He exhaled. “I’m sorry your date didn’t go well.”

She shrugged. “It’s whatever. I told you when we had the sundaes that usually telling a guy how smart I am makes them run, along with mentioning your father’s a wrongfully convicted killer.” She sighed. “It’s what happened after that got me.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Finding out that Josh only dated me for a year because Heather asked him to. Like I’m some kind of pathetic girl who can’t get her own dates. Or keep a guy.”

He then remembered what Barry meant by what happened in high school. Colin McPherson. “ _Corazon_ , you’re not pathetic. You’re beautiful. Amazing, Sweet, kind, understanding….” He caressed her cheek. “Sexy.”

Her eyes lifted to his. There was something in his eyes that she hadn’t recognized before. Was it lust? Desire? “Cisco….” She bent her head as he lifted his slightly. Their lips were mere inches apart when….

“Cisco, we have to go.”

She jerked and backed up. Her phone rang and she answered as she walked out.

* * *

 

As she sat in her office later that afternoon, her office phone rang and she answered, “Grace Allen.”

“Hey, Gracie, it’s me.”

“What’s up?”

“The metahuman is attacking again at the mall. Do you have your suit?”

“Um….yeah. It’s in my bureau closet. Why?”

“You’re gonna need it. If you can control the wind does that mean you can control air and the other gases we breathe?”

“If they’re apart of Earth’s elements then yes.”

“Good. Hurry up.”

She quickly changed and flew out the window. She got to the mall seconds after Barry. They both walked into the mall and saw the people freaking out. They get to the dead judge and they both know she’s dead, even if Barry sped up time to go undetected. He slowed down enough for her to see what he’s seeing and then she saw the gas cloud. “There he is!”

They both stand and run through the door. They stopped to see the gas cloud form into a human and couldn’t believe it. “Why did you kill that woman?” Barry demanded.

The man turned and wheezed twice before saying, “She deserved to die.”

They both watched him. He then said slowly, with no expression at all, “Now runaway. I still got one more name on my list.”

“We’re not going anywhere!” Grace told him.

Barry attempted to punch him, but the guy went into smoke form and he went through him. Grace sighed as she tried to think of a way. The man punched Barry twice and then went into smoke form when Barry attempted to punch him again. He punched him even in his smoke form and that’s when Grace decided to give it a shot.

She took a deep breath and blew hard. The air she was blowing hit the man as he attempted to go through her brother. As soon as her air hit him, the cloud reacted and he quickly dissipated. She stopped blowing and took a breath. She then went to her brother as she heard Wells talking to them both. She ignored them and helped her brother up.

“What….are….you….doing?” he panted.

“Getting you back to the lab,” she told him. “Before your entire body shuts down.”

She jumped up and flew to the Lab at sonic speed. She stumbled in as Barry hit the computer table. “I can’t breathe!” he panted hard.

“He needs oxygen!” Wells exclaimed as Barry collapsed to the floor trying to breathe. “Get the crash cart!”

Cisco took off running and Grace crawled to her brother. On a whim, she decided to try something. Which was what he always did with her when she’d hyperventilate. He’d breath with her until she calmed down. “Barry.” She looked at her brother. “Look at me.” She smiled. “Keep your eyes on me.”

He kept his eyes on her and she took a breath and started blowing slowly. She had no idea if this was going to work, but it was the same thing as an oxygen face mask in away. And since she could blow pure oxygen so….why not? She smiled as she heard his wheezing slow down.

Cisco showed up with the crash cart and put the oxygen mask on him, but Barry fought him. Grace took his hand. He looked at her. “What did you do?”

“Blew oxygen on him, until you got back. I didn’t even think it would work.”

“Cut me open,” he wheezed.

Understanding what he meant Grace said. “The poison’s still inside of him. Me breathing on him shouldn’t have done anything to what was going on inside of his body. I did it just enough to help him breath, nothing else.”

“He brought us a sample. Caitlin, we need to do a pulmonary biopsy, extract an active portion of that gas,” Wells told them.

“I can't give you any anesthetic. Your metabolism will burn right through it.”

“I heal quick, remember?”

Grace anxiously began fisting and flexing her fingers as she paced. “Do it,” she said at the same time as Wells.

“Cisco, give me the syringe.”

Cisco turned to the surgical tray and picked up the syringe as Caitlin said, “This is gonna hurt a lot.”

“It's a small needle. You probably won't even feel it.”

Grace laughed wryly as she paced, whipping her face mask off.

Caitlin looked at Barry. “You're definitely going to feel it.”

She plunged it into his chest and he gasped. Grace fell to her knees, starting to cry. She didn’t care if it wasn’t ‘superhero-like’. This was her brother, the only constant person in her life besides Joe and Iris. And she was too worried about the science to save her brother. If the oxygen she blew at the guy made him run, then the oxygen she was breathing into Barry should have been able to evaporate what was in his system, but she was too worried about a sample. How could she have done that?

Wells realized that Grace was on her knees crying. “Cisco.”

He looked over and down. “Oh, baby,” he whispered. He went to her and knelt down in front of her. “Hey, he’ll be okay.”

“It’s not that,” she sobbed. “I mean, yeah. It’s great he’ll be okay, but….I should have saved him myself.”

“What do you mean? Grace, honey, it was poisonous gas.”

“Which didn’t seem to affect me and when I blew oxygen at him he ran.”

Wells looked at her, perplexed. “What do you mean?”

She told him what had happened. “And instead of helping Barry by doing the same. I kept the poison in his body so that we’d have a sample.” She exhaled. “I put all this before my brother.” She stood and walked out.

* * *

 

The life monitor beeped as Barry came to. He groaned. “Grace….” He jerked when he saw Cisco.

Cisco smiled. “The Streak lives.”

“You'd be dead if your lung cells didn't regenerate so quickly,” Caitlin told him.

“My chest feels like that one time I had a cigarette.” He seen the look of disbelief on their faces while Grace laughed, wiping her tears.

“Yeah, teen me lived for danger.”

“This isn't funny. You could've...”

“I didn't,” he told her. He looked at Grace. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling.

He exchanged the same smile. “Liar. What’s wrong?”

She shrugged. Cisco looked at his friend. “She’s feeling guilty for not evaporating the poison out of you.”

“What?” he asked. He sighed, frustrated. “Grace Elizabeth Allen, would you stop feeling so guilty all the time? This isn’t your fault. I held it in my system for a reason. And even though I’m thankful for you giving me oxygen when I couldn’t breathe, I doubt you could have done anything with it in my system.”

“Told ya,” Cisco all but sing-songed.

She slapped his shoulder blade. He smiled. “She’s back.”

Barry laughed softly as he sat up.

“Now that we have a sample, we'll get to work analyzing it, figure out the makeup of the poison, maybe get a clue as to his human identity,” Wells said.

“Or at least a way to stop him from turning into a mist,” Cisco added. “The Mist. Okay, that's his name. End of discussion.”

Grace laughed. How could one guy be incredibly adorable. If they were actually together she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep hands off him. _What the hell are you doing? If he knew how much of a big nerd you could actually be he’d run just like the rest of them._

“I have to get to the station,” Barry said, exhausted.

“You should be resting.”

“I have to talk to Joe.”

“And I got to get back to work. Or at least check in.” She walked up to Barry and hugged him.

He bent his head down and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Gracie.”

“I love you,” she whispered. “You scared me today.”

He held her tight. “I’m sorry. I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

She exhaled and then walked up to Cisco. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. He held her. She turned her face into his neck and whispered, “Why is it whenever I need someone you’re there? Even when I hurt you.”

He squeezed her tight. “Because that’s where I’m supposed to be,” he answered back. “I’m just doing my job.”

She smiled and kissed his chin/neck and walked off. “Call me if he shows up again.”

“Will do.”

* * *

 

Grace sat at her desk finishing up what she needed to do before she left for the day when it suddenly hit her. She gasped. She quickly finished up the work and placed it in the out tray. She then picked up her stuff and flew out the window. She landed at S.T.A.R. Labs moments later and she ran in. “CISCO!”

Cisco looked at Caitlin and quickly stood. “Grace?”

“I think I figured out what the gas is,” she said as she entered the lab. She slowed when she seen the analysis happening. “Oh….never mind.”

“No, Miss Allen, tell us your conclusion,” Wells said.

“Well, I remember being in Chem lab my junior year in college and some idiot jock thought it’d be funny to start releasing gases into the air to watch the human affects or something….anyway.” She waved her hands. “I remember, um….that he released this one element,” she looked at Caitlin. “May I?”

Caitlin nodded. “Of course.”

She typed onto the screen and put it into the large monitor. “Hydrogen Cyanide.” She sighed. “It’s used for many different things. The military uses it for chemical warfare. But it’s also used in fumigations and pesticides.” She typed away on the keyboard. “However, it’s also used for this….” She showed them.

“Prison executions,” Cisco breathed.

She nodded. “If I’m right, and I believe I am, then the Mist was being executed the night of the explosion.”

Wells looked at the others. He smiled. _That Mrs. Ramon is why you become a Meta-human consultant with the CCPD._ “Well, I do believe we have a theory, Ladies and gentlemen.”

Cisco smiled. “If you’re right, I’ll buy you a drink.”

She smiled back. “Deal.”

* * *

 

A few hours later, Barry had come back to the lab and had gone into the accelerator with Caitlin. “Barry, Caitlin, you down there? You have to come see this.”

Barry, Caitlin and Grace walked into the lab. Cisco looked at Grace. “You are incredible.”

“So, you keep telling me, but why?”

“Because you were totally right,” he answered.

Barry looked from Cisco to Grace and back again. “What? What was she right about?”

Cisco smiled. “Check this out. It's a 3D molecular model of the gas we retrieved from your lungs.”

“We have identified the toxin.”

“Hydrogen cyanide?”

“Yes,” Dr. Wells said. “Your sister came up with the conclusion first.”

“What's interesting is what's mixed in with the cyanide... A sedative. To which Grace was right about too.”

Barry smiled. “Not that I don’t mind hearing about how incredibly amazing and smart my little sister is…..wait a minute,” he said. He looked at Cisco. “You said a sedative?”

He nodded.

“Of course. The night of the explosion find out if anyone was executed,” Barry told Caitlin.

“Actually, Grace already concluded that and looked up the only guy to be executed that night and as she predicted, he was being executed at the exact same time as the explosion.”

She walked over to the screen and brought up the information. “Kyle Nimbus.”

“That's him,” Barry concluded.

“He was a hit man for the Darbinyan crime family. They turned on him and testified. Judge Theresa Howard was the judge at his trial. She sentenced him to death,” Grace told him.

“He must have been affected by the explosion while he was being gassed.”

“Records indicate the execution was completed.”

“Oh, my God….” Grace whispered.

Barry nodded to Grace and looked at the others. “That's why there wasn't a match. The DNA database only has records of the living.”

“Right.”

“He said there was one more person on his list. Check the arrest record. Who caught him? That could be his next attack.”

Caitlin typed away and then stopped. “Barry, the lead detective...”

Grace walked over. “Who is….” She gasped. “Dad.”

Barry looked at Grace. “Let’s go.”

* * *

 

Barry and Grace go up to Iron Heights to stop Nimbus. They stop outside the gates and Barry looked at her. “Now, if you can use your breath in some way to evaporate the gas, do it. But remember, dad’ll probably be there and he may recognize you.” He smiled. “You look exactly like mom.”

She smiled, blushing slightly. “No, I don’t. But thank you.”

They get inside and go to the visiting center and saw Joe collapse to the floor, starting to convulse. Barry looked at her, throwing his voice. “Get him.”

She nodded. She took a deep breath and exhaled hard. As she blew out oxygen to the him, she saw it starting to break up and he started to become human, but he disappeared. Barry looked at her. “Go. I got him,” he told her.

He quickly injected him and waited. He looked over at their dad, he moved his face so fast so that his dad didn’t recognize him. He felt Joe take a breath and smiled.

“Go get him,” he whispered.

Barry nodded and left. When he got to her and Nimbus, they both began to dodge his smoke forms. She stopped, hovered. “Barry, we have to destabilize him in his smoke form.”

Wells smiled. “She’s right. He’s going to have to reform at some point. So force it.”

Knowing she couldn’t run that fast, she flew up a little and let Barry tire Nimbus out himself. Finally Barry took him out and they both brought him into the new prison they had made. Grace walked out of the accelerator with everyone when Cisco slowed her down. “So, where do you wanna go for that drink?”

She smiled. “Really?”

He nodded. “I made the deal, don’t me welch on it.”

She smiled. “How about O’Connor’s?”

He nodded. “Sounds good.” He looked at his watch. “See you in 2 hours?”

She nodded. “That sounds good. Gives me enough time to check on Joe.” She kissed his cheek. “See you later.”

* * *

 

Barry and Grace both fell asleep as they awaited Joe to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up, sleepily. She smiled just as Barry woke up. Joe smiled back at both of them. “It’s been awhile since I watched you sleep.”

“Rescuing you is exhausting,” Barry told him, stretching, then standing.

Joe laughed. “I really miss the ability to be able to ground you. Both of you.”

“Sorry I went and grew up.”

They both held his hands. I could have got my dad out of Iron Heights tonight.”

“I know.”

“But you were right. That's not the way.”

“Daddy,” Iris said relieved. She ran to him, hugging him.

“Oh. Baby, I'm fine. Don't worry.”

Barry signaled to Grace and said, “I'll let you guys talk.”

A few minutes later, Barry and Grace seen Eddied coming out. Grace smiled. “You okay?”

He shrugged. “He’s mad.”

Grace nodded. “He is. But not for the reasons you think. Joe has a problem seeing all three of us as adults. But Iris is his baby and you both lied for so long.” She smiled at him. “Wanna know a secret?”

“Sure?”

“He hates complicated.”

“What’s that….?”

She smiled. “You just made things complicated for him, because now not only does he have to worry about you being his partner and coming out of the shootout with him, but he’s also gotta worry about you for Iris’ sake.”

“Are you advising me to end it?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’d never do that. Just trying to make you understand.”

He smiled. “Thanks.”

She nodded. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a…. _thing_ with my best friend.”

Eddie smiled. “I thought that was you, Allen?”

He chuckled. “Oh, I’m still her best friend. But me being in the coma gave her someone else she can rely on. Besides Joe and Iris.” He smiled. “Grace is right. He is angry, but give him time. He’ll get used to it.”

He smiled. “Thanks.”

He nodded. He left the hospital and headed for Iron Heights to talk to his dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question: Would you want to see Cisco and Grace's drink night? And if so any suggestions on what you'd want to see happen?


	6. It All Starts Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco and Grace go out for drinks....which turns into their first date.

# 

Grace looked at her reflection in her full-length mirror and sighed. Ever since Heather had let it slip that she had somehow convinced Josh to stay with her she was feeling that maybe going out for drinks with Cisco was a bad idea and then, the voice in her head reminds her that if she doesn’t take the chance now it may never come again, so she ignored the doubts.

She swiped up her phone and stood in front of the mirror and took the picture her standing there barefoot in the red body-con dress she had bought the same weekend as she had bought the new shirt. She then shot texts to Barry, Caitlin and Iris: **Drinks tonight with Cisco…..too much?**

She smiled when she got a message from her brother first. **[From Barry]: You look amazing! Definitely not too much!**

**[To Barry]: Are you sure? He didn’t say it was a date or anything and Iris told me that this is a date dress.**

**[From Barry]: Honey, I know after what you found out last night you’re a little cautious but take the chance. You may be very pleasantly surprised. Don’t be like me and wonder what if when you could have taken the chance.**

**[To Barry]: Okay. Why am I nervous? I mean this is Cisco. He’s seen me at worst moments with you and been there through everything, so why….?**

**[From Barry]: For those very reasons. He’s your best friend. Your confidant and you don’t want that to change if this night changes things between you. And I don’t think it will. You and Cisco would be a good couple. I can definitely tell that you care about him and he cares about you. Just don’t rush into it, okay?**

**[To Barry]: I know. Talk to you tomorrow. And I promise to enjoy myself.**

 

She sighed and walked to her closet. She pulled out a pair of heels and pulled them on when her phone buzzed with another message. This one from Caitlin: **[From Caitlin]: You look amazing! He’s gonna flip. Remember to have a good time, tonight okay?**

**[To Caitlin]: I will, I promise.**

Iris’ message came through after that. **[From Iris]: You look gorgeous! I know things happened on the blind date and things were said between you and Heather, but don’t let that ruin this, okay?**

**[To Iris]: I promise. I gotta go. Wish me luck.**

**[From Iris]: Good luck and remember to do a good night kiss!**

 

* * *

 

She walked into the bar and looked around to see if she seen the guy she was looking for. She smiled when she saw him sitting at a table. She zig-zagged through the tables and then suddenly stopped when she got grabbed by the arm by someone. She turned and looked. She stepped back and looked at the man. “Mason?”

“Hey, Allen,” he muttered. “Whatcha doing here?”

She nodded in Cisco’s direction and said, “Date. And no there is nothing you could offer me that would make me pass this night up for anything.” She pulled her arm free and walked to Cisco as he stood. “Hey.”

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Hi.” She began unbuttoning her coat as he asked who the guy was that had grabbed her. “Mason Bridge, egotistical reporter for the CCPN.” She pulled her jacket off and watched Cisco’s reaction. She draped her coat over the empty chair and then looked at her dress. “What?”

“You look amazing,” he breathed.

She smiled. “Thank you.” She sat down and crossed her legs. “I know you didn’t say if it was really a date or not, but—”

“No,” he interjected. “I’m glad you did. You look incredible.”

She smiled, blushing slightly, she pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled. “Thank you.” She smiled. “You look great too,” she said as the waitress approach. “But you always look great.”

He gave her a shy smile. “Thanks.”

“What can I get you?”

“I’ll have a beer,” Cisco answered.

“Two beers,” she said, then smiled. She exhaled. “Would it be totally awful of me if I admitted that I was kinda hoping that I was right to be doing this tonight?”

His stomach did a flip-flop while his heart fluttered. He smiled. “No, because I already knew you were.”

“How?” she asked reaching for a pretzel.

“Because you’re the smartest girl I know and there hasn’t been anything that you haven’t known yet.”

She smiled. She stood from the chair that was across from him and moved to the chair that had her coat in it. She kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“I would hope by now you’d know you don’t have to hide who you are with me.”

She shook her head. “No, I know.” She sighed and thanked the waitress.

He smiled. They started like they always did about stupid stuff. She smirked. “Wanna play a game?”

He took a swig of his beer. “What kind of game?”

“It’s like twenty questions, but the fun version.”

“Fun how?”

She smirked at him and he seen something in her eyes that made him almost instantly hard. He picked up his beer and willed the thing to go soft. He swigged as she asked, “What’s better than sex?”

She laughed and put a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Cisco, are you okay?” She asked handing him her napkin.

He took the napkin and wiped his mouth. “What did you ask me?”

She looked down at her beer bottle and then lifted her eyes to his. “What’s better than sex?”

“That’s what I thought you asked.”

Her smile deepened and got more mischievous. “Are you going to answer?”

He shook his head. “Honestly, it’s been a while since I had sex. I’m not entirely sure I remember.”

She laughed and threw her pretzel at him and he joined in the laughter. “What about you?”

“Um….well, I haven’t had sex in about a year so…..um….cheesecake,” she answered smiling.

He laughed. “Cheesecake? Really?”

She shrugged, still smiling. “Yeah. For several reasons.”

“Name two,” he challenged.

“Well, there’s only one answer: It’s always good.”

He laughed, shaking his head. How could no guy find her endearing and absolutely adorable? Which for him made her even sexier. He nodded. “Okay. I’ll give you that.”

She smiled and moved in her chair. “Okay, you ask one. Any topic is open.”

He smiled. “Okay. Would you rather be happy and content but not achieve much or never be satisfied but achieve a lot?”

Her eyes widened a little surprised by the question. “Um….wow, going deep, Ramon.”

He gave her the smile that made her insides curl as desire burst at the pit of her stomach. “You have no idea, Allen. You gonna answer?”

“Um….” she thought about it for a minute. “I would much rather be happy and content.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because if you’re not happy then what you’ve achieved doesn’t mean anything.”

He nodded. “Good answer. I’d much rather be happy too.”

She smiled. “Good question. Um, let me see if I can think of another one….would you rather stay in or go out for a date?”

He reached for a pretzel and snapped it in half. “Depends on the girl and how well I know her.”

“Why?” she asked picking up her beer.

“Because if it’s someone I’ve just met then going out, because not much to talk about at first. Might be easier to get to know them.”

She nodded. “Okay, second parter, Ramon. Pretend we’re dating, what would we do?”

“Have we been dating for a while?” he asked without missing a beat.

She nodded. “Months.”

He smiled. “Okay. Um….staying in.” He’d actually thought about this. “Um…ordering from Selvaggio’s, wine, popcorn, and Netflix.”

She smiled. That actually sounded like a really good date night. “I like that.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Yeah. You know me by now. I’m not a big dress up and take me out kind of person. I’ll go out, but it’s not a necessity. Which Josh could never get.” She picked up her beer and swigged.

“Well, we’ve already established that Josh was a dick.”

She coughed, laughing. “Tell me how you really feel.”

He laughed. “I’m sorry, but he is.”

She smiled. “Thank you.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder.

They fell into a companionable silence for a moment and then Cisco said, “I gotta say this before the rest of the night continues.”

“Okay,” she said and signaled to the waitress for another round. “What’s on your mind?”

“I was really pissed that you canceled our plans for a blind date that you didn’t want to go on.”

She nodded, swallowing her beer. “Okay.”

“But there was another feeling there too.” He sighed. “I was jealous.”

She lifted her eyes to his, blinking at him in surprise. “Really?” she asked. “Why?” She took a long draw from her bottle.

“Because….” He let his voice trail off for a moment. … _would you just tell her how you feel…._ Caitlin’s words from last night pushed him to continue his thought. “Because I wanted it to be me.”

She stared at him, speechless. His eyes met hers and her heart somersaulted. Following her gut, she leaned forward and teased his lips with her own. A spike of heat caught her low in the gut at the brief feel of his lips.

There was no time to be surprised by her spontaneity as he felt an explosion of pleasure and need that went off inside him at the feel of her lips on his. He looked into her blue eyes and his stomach dipped. Without thinking, he leaned forward and in one smooth movement he cupped the back of her neck and covered her mouth with his own.

Something inside of her was sparked. Her nerves danced, her brain raced, and her stomach did a quick somersault at the feel of his lips moving over her own. She felt the wet pressure of her tongue asking for permission to enter and she moaned, opening her mouth to allow him to enter. Their tongues fought a silent battle in the warm cave of her mouth.

In fear that this was going to be the only time that they did this, he poured everything he was into the kiss. He felt his entire body ignite on her moan, as their tongues tangled together again. Her mouth felt better than he imagined it would. It was sweet, bitter (from the beer) and warm. Finally, he pulled back and their lips made a soft smacking noise as they came apart.

Her heart was thundering in her chest. “Wow….” She muttered.

“That’s what I thought,” he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open and looked up at him. He chuckled softly. He gave her a chaste kiss this time and then sat back in his seat. “Has anyone ever kissed you like that?”

She shook her head. “Nope.” She smiled as she sat back. “Congratulations, Ramon. You were my first mind-blowing kiss.”

He laughed and took a long swig of his beer. He swallowed. “I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel anything either. And I’ve been wanting to do that for almost a year.”

She blinked at him, confused. “Why….why didn’t you?”

“Because I took advice from Wells about being friends first and then explore the romantic side, because I thought you just wanted to be friends or something.

She picked up a pretzel from the basket. “So, um…why would you want to do that?”

He exhaled. “Grace, I’ve liked you since you almost spilled your coffee on me and spilled the contents of your camera bag. And I mean I _**really**_ like you. And if we were to ever get us off the ground I don’t see us dating being temporarily. I see us possibly going the long haul. And I think us establishing our friendship will definitely help with that.”

“So, are we…..?”

He smiled. “Yes.”

She smiled. “Wanna get out of here? I wanna take you somewhere.”

“Sure. Where?”

She gave him the most sincere smile that he would have sworn that his heart actually stuttered. “It’s a surprise. I’ll say this much. It’s something that I have never done but have _always_ wanted to do.”

He smiled and walked out with her. She held out her hand and happily took it as she cuffed her other hand around his elbow as they walked. His heart slammed into his ribs as the butterflies seemed to have swarmed his belly. He couldn’t believe his luck with tonight!

When the evening had started he thought they would just be having drinks as friends where he’d tell her that he was jealous of the fact that some random guy got a date with her. He had never expected it to actually become a date. He looked over at her and noted how happy she actually looked. His heart started to race inside of his chest as everything inside of him began to flutter.

He was half expecting her to run for the hills once he had told her that he really liked her and that he was jealous of the blind date. The kiss was definitely unexpected. _Very_ much welcomed, but very unexpected. He nodded to an older couple as the man tilted his hat to them. “So, where are you taking me, Miss Allen?”

She laughed happily as she intertwined their fingers. “Somewhere where I hope you won’t freak out on me.” Her heart thudded like a drum when she heard him laugh. She smiled and put her chin on his shoulder. “Since you made a confession at the bar, may I make one?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.”

“The blind date was the first date I’d been on since we met.” She smiled at him when he looked at her utterly perplexed. “I swear,” she said and quickly pecked him on the cheek.

When the Central City’s bridge came into view, Grace slowed to a strolling pace. Cisco looked up as he heard the saxophone player, the guitarist and the singer singing _The Way You Look Tonight_. He couldn’t help the smile that slid into place. One of the City’s most famous events and she wanted to share it with him. The bridge truly looked amazing at night. The city lights shimmered upon the lake, casting a very romantic and Grace looked amazing. The whole moment was perfect.

He looked up at her. “What’s….what’s this?”

She smiled. “I thought we could dance,” she suggested, hopeful. “I mean, if you don’t then—”

“Grace, stop,” he said softly, still smiling. “It’s okay.”

She exhaled. “Really?”

He nodded. She smiled. “I wasn’t sure if you danced or not…”

He smiled and took her hand. “Let’s find out.”

“Wait,” she said and walked over to where the players were and slid out of her 5” heels. She felt the cool cement beneath and for the first time in 9 months she actually thanked the Particle Accelerator for exploding because feeling the cool cement didn’t make her freezing anymore.

She came back to him. He’d almost forgotten that she actually came to eye level with him barefoot. He gently pulled her into his arms and took her hand and held it to his chest. They began swaying slowly to the music. Her heart hammered in her chest. “You’re a good dancer.”

He laughed softly. “You sound surprised by that.”

She shrugged. “Never actually been with a guy that did dance.”

He smiled and caressed her cheek. “Well, you are now. Just don’t expect me to do it in front of the entire team.”

She laughed. “Oh, honey, not even I’m that needy to embarrass you in front of the team like that. If you want the fact that you can dance to stay between us then it will.”

 He shook his head slowly. His eyes dropped to her mouth, to the pouty bottom lip, he heard the slight hitch of her breath and fought the smirk that wanted to crack. Following instinct, he tilted his head down, taking her lips slowly, pulling her closer.

He felt the heat from her body as pulled her closer, warming him from the inside and out, making him twitch. Her lips were so soft and velvety and she tasted a little bit like the beer they had drank at the bar. The kiss wasn’t deep, just a teasing slide. Grace moaned and fisted her hands into his shirt. Her heart sputtered when his tongue flicked her top lip and she whimpered, granting him access.

Being granted permission, seemed to have unleashed something inside of him in some way as their tongues tangled, tasting each other deeply. After a very long moment of soft moans, tangled tongues and their bodies simmering with lust. Finally, he gently pulled back and opened his eyes.

She slowly opened hers and looked at him. “I swear….that….gets better every time.”

He laughed softly, kissing her cheek, chin, her nose and then her forehead. “It was amazing.”

She smiled. “One last dance, then walk me home?”

He nodded. “Gladly.” He pulled her into his arms and they swayed to the musicians rendition of an old country song.

Grace curled into him as they swayed, enjoying herself immensely. Cisco bumped her gently. “Gracie.”

“Yeah?” she said softly looking into his dark eyes.

“Why did you want to take me here?”

She smiled. “My parents used to have date nights here. They always seemed so happy when they got home.” She shrugged. “I’ve always wanted a relationship like theirs.”

He smiled. “So, you never took Josh here?”

She shook her head and said softly, “No. Josh hated to dance and refused to do it. Even when I would beg.” She looked into his eyes. “You’re the first person I’ve brought here, Cisco. I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy it with you.”

He smiled and kissed her lips again. “I’m glad that you wanted to share it with me. Next time we’ll share something that’s my secret.”

She nodded. “Sounds good. I’m gonna go grab my shoes and then you can walk me home, okay?”

He nodded. She walked across the bridge and grabbed her shoes near the musicians. She then jogged back over to Cisco, still barefoot. She put her shoes on the ground again and then put her foot inside one and then took Cisco's hand to help put her shoes on. After her shoes were on, she took his hand, threading their fingers as they walked. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You're welcome.”

They walked to her apartment, hand-in-hand, enjoying their conversation and just enjoying each other. When they got to her apartment, she turned to face him. He smiled. "Goodnight."

He smiled and took her face in his hands and took her mouth slowly and deeply. Then he pulled back. "Goodnight," he said softly. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," she said, almost breathlessly. She watched him go and once he was out of sight, she sighed against her door, her knees wobbling. She unlocked the door and walked inside. She let the door closed and sighed, smiling.

It was definitely going to be a lot fun to see where this went.


	7. Going Rogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity Smoak and Lexy Queen come to visit Team Flash.
> 
> Barry and Grace fight Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold.
> 
> Grace quickly begins to realize some revelations about herself and the team and later she lets them be known.

"So, did Barry look okay when you and your dad saw him?"

Lexy Queen snickered at her mom's question. But it was only the 100th time she'd asked it. She closed required English reading assignment on her thumb and forefinger and looked up at her mother. They were riding the train into Central City from their hometown of Starling to see their friend, Barry Allen and so that Felicity could meet Grace. "Yes, mom, he looked absolutely fine. He looked totally like Barry, but different too."

"Different how?" Felicity Smoak urged.

"I don't know," she said. "The lightning bolt changed him. He looked physically different, but he was the same ol' Barry."

Felicity exhaled. "I'm badgering aren't I?"

She nodded. "Which according to you, you picked that up from grandma."

Felicity smiled. Lexy liked being able to say 'grandma'. She finally knew she was going to have one that was going to dote on her the way a grandmother should. That part Felicity didn't mind, she hated to admitted it, but her adopting Lexy would finally get the fussing off of her. She nodded to her daughter. "Right. I'll stop now. Sorry."

Lexy smiled. "It's okay, mama. Really. It's just that you've asked the same question like ten times."

She nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm just worried that our friend will be different."

She laughed softly. "He's not though. He's still the same old Barry. I promise." She smiled at her. "You know I'm intuitive about people."

She nodded. "I know." She reached into her large purse and pulled out her tablet. She opened it and started working on her proposal for her very first project meeting. That was another thing she was really excited about. She finally had a job that exercised her expertise. "I'm just going to get some work done on my proposal in front of your dad and the executives on Friday."

Lexy smiled. "Good. You do that." She opened her book and began reading the required reading assignment again. "I'm gonna try to get my homework done. The other night's activities has um...put me a little bit behind in my English class."

"How much behind?"

"About three assignments." Knowing what was coming next she instantly said, "Don't worry about it. I'm going to use the trip productively and get them in and my other homework when I go into school Friday."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Lexy smiled. "I have good ones sometimes."

* * *

 

Grace walked into S.T.A.R. Labs, dressed in jogging gear and earbuds inside her ears. She stopped as she entered and watched as her brother quickly went from station to station. Caitlin was seated at the Operation Game table, Dr. Wells was staring at a chess board and Cisco was playing ping-pong.

She gently pulled her earbuds from her ears and shoved her iPod into her pocket. She stood and watched the fun. However, she couldn't keep her eyes off of Cisco. Ever since their date--which is what he was calling it too--they've been pretty inseparable since. Then again, they were inseparable before the date last week, now they were even more inseparable than ever and sometimes they'd kiss. And they'd cuddle--that was her favorite. But nothing had changed with their dynamic really or their friendship.

The sound of Caitlin's voice pulled her out of her thoughts of the handsome dark haired scientist. "This isn't even remotely anatomically correct."

"That's not the point, Dr. Snow," Barry said leaning over the table to extract another body part.

"Then what is the point?"

He started playing ping-pong with Cisco again. "To have fun."

"And to continue your ongoing training by testing the speed of your mind by pushing your ability to multitask," Dr. Wells reminded him.

Barry raced to him and moved a chess piece. He looked up at the older man. "I'm waiting on you, Dr. Wells."

The games were winding down, when Wells called, "Checkmate."

"Wait....checkmate?"

The older man smiled. "Checkmate."

Grace smiled as she folded her arms over her chest and leaned on the wall. "Aww....Barry, you found someone who could kick your ass at chess."

He smiled. "Hey. Are you still mad because you can't?"

She scoffed, waving him off. "Please. I'm not mad about anything. If I didn't find chess even remotely boring you know I'd kick your ass at it."

"Very true." He kissed her hair. "Good run?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Did you know they're doing a remodel on the stadium?"

"Yeah, I read about that in the paper," Barry said. He looked at Cisco who seemed to be itching to greet his sister the way he was supposed to. He leaned down and whispered, "Kiss her."

"What?" he almost jumped.

"Kiss her," Barry smiled. "Hey, if I can watch Eddie and Iris suck face all the time, watching you and my sister shouldn't gross me out too bad."

Grace laughed. "Funny." She walked up to Cisco and kissed him firmly on the mouth. "Hi."

He brought her back against him and kissed her deeply. "Hi. You're all sweaty."

She laughed. "That's what happens when you run eight miles."

"Eight miles?!" Cisco and Caitlin said in unison.

Caitlin made a grossed out face. "Why?"

She laughed. "I needed to work out some stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" Cisco asked.

Barry shook his head telling Cisco to not ask. She touched her brother. "No, Cisco, it's okay. It's the week of what mom and I used to call 'Shopaholics Anonymous Ditch Day."

"What?" Caitlin asked.

"Sounds like an excuse to spend ridiculous amounts of money," Wells said, smiling.

She laughed. "It was. Mom was always one for great deals. That's how she got Barry and Dad's Christmas gifts every year. And me too."

Caitlin smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Grace."

She shrugged. "It's okay. I'm going shopping with Iris this weekend for Christmas anyway, so she'll definitely make up for it."

Barry laughed. "Oh, yeah."

The steady beeping alert had both Barry and Grace looking to Cisco who was in the control room. He looked at the screen. "Armed robbery at 4th and Collins."

Grace quickly went into the other room to change, while Barry parted with, "For the record, I crushed it in Operation and ping pong."

Grace came out a few moments later, laughing. "See ya there?"

"Yep," he called from the other room.

She nodded and flew off. While Barry quickly changed and sped out of the building.

* * *

 

They got there only seconds apart from each other and quickly jumped into action. They both took out the robbers, and Grace was look out as she watched one remove it's mask and watch them. She glared at him right before he took off. She then knelt down on the other side of him. "You're okay," she said softly. "You'll be okay."

"Where's the nearest hospital?" Barry asked into his comms.

"St. Andrews. Seven blocks north, two east."

"Call the ER, tell them they have an incoming GSW." He looked at Grace.

"I'll wait for dad," she said smiling.

* * *

 

Eddie approached the armored truck where Joe sat in the back trying to figure out what the perps took. "Tow truck was stolen. Driver of the armored car is in a stable condition at St. Andrews, and no one's exactly sure how he got there," Eddie said stopping at the end of the truck.

"Did you check the security cameras?"

"Camera's storage drive was stolen. Guys are pros."

"Actually theoretically speaking no one's that good."

Joe turned as he rose to get out of the truck. "Hey, my other beautiful daughter. How are you this lovely day?"

She smiled. "Pretty good, dad. Pretty good. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second." She gave him the look she'd perfected over the last few weeks to tell him that it was superhero stuff.

"Can I ask you something?" Eddie asked.

"Sure," Grace said smiling.

"How come you call Joe 'dad'? I mean, Barry calls him by his name, but you never seem to. Why is that?"

She smiled. "That, Detective, is a very long story." She exhaled. "However, cliff notes version is that technically Joe West is my father. I mean, I love my dad more than anything, but I don't really know him like Barry does. I was almost nine years old when my mom was killed. Daddy's been in prison for fourteen years. And I'm only twenty-three," she smiled. "Joe's been there longer, so he gets the privilege."

Joe smiled. "And it's never been one I've taken for granted," he said and kissed her hair. "Everything's still here, including what I think they were after. The Kahndaq Dynasty Diamond. It was on its way to Central City Museum for exhibition."

They started walking together. Eddie knew what he was talking about. "Right, Iris is trying to talk me into going."

"You're not going to?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Yeah, my boy--" she cleared her throat. "Um...the guy I'm seeing is as a big a nerd as me, so we're both really excited to see it."

Eddie nodded. "Oh, that's nice." He exhaled. "I'm not much of a museum guy, but when she really wants to do something..."

Joe gave him the icy stare that could even stop her and Barry in their tracks. He quickly scampered off. "I'm just going to walk away now."

She snickered and put her hands in her back pockets of her jeans. "Don't you think you should ease up on him a little bit. I mean...." he gave her the same stare and she stopped. "Fine."

"So, who's this guy you're seeing? Boyfriend?"

She winced. "Oh, God....we haven't even established we're in a relationship. We're just hanging out."

"Do I know this kid?"

She nodded. "It's Cisco."

"As in the Scientist at S.T.A.R. Labs."

His jaw dropped slightly and then he nodded. "Right." He looked up just as Barry showed up.

"Sorry, Captain," Barry said rushing in. "I was at the hospital visiting a friend."

"I'll see you later," Grace said quickly making herself scarce.

"Oh, Gracie, what did you want to talk to me about?"

She smiled. "Barry's got it covered," she said with a smile.

Joe turned to Barry. "There's nothing missing. It looks like someone interrupted a robbery."

"Guard says there was three of them," Captain Singh added.

"Actually, there was four. I mean, that's how many I would bring if I were doing a robbery of this nature. That's definitely a four guy truck. A driver, two more to cover the guards, and..." he looked at the door. "Somebody used liquid nitrogen to crack open this door, so four bad guys."

"Thank you, Mr. Allen, for your brilliant insight."

Singh walked away and Joe walked up to Barry and said under his breath, "For somebody so fast, you're a little slow on the improvising. Did you see anything that could help us catch these guys?"

"Yeah, me and Grace did."

"What's with your sister by the way?"

Barry smiled. "It's the anniversary with mom. She's a little bummed today, so...." Reminding himself he was at work he continued, "One of them lost his mask. We saw his face."

Joe smiled. They got back to the precinct a few hours later and Joe said, "So look through these mug shots of Central City's most wanted, and see if you can find our guy."

Barry quickly flipped through the pages as Joe talked and then seconds later, "That's him."

Joe was surprised. "Damn." He took the mugshot book from him. He looked at the guy. "Leonard Snart."

"Leonard?" Barry said "That's almost as bad as Bartholomew."

"Snart ain't sexy, either," Joe told him. "Snart's father was a cop... Was a bad cop. Took his anger out on his kids until he went to prison."

"Snart's dad's in prison too? We should start a club."

"Ooh! Can I join?"

They both turned and smiled. "Hey, Gracie," they said at the same time.

She smiled. "Hi." She looked at Joe. "Continue. Sorry."

"He shows up, like, every six months. He cases a job for weeks before he makes his move. Then, he does the job... Gets away."

"That's before The Streak and Gaia were around," Barry said with a smirk.

Joe leaned into him and said, "Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?"

"I referred to The Streak, which I'm pretty sure I can top. I've been thinking of a new name. What do you think about The Fla..."

Grace cleared her throat loudly.

"Coffee break," Iris announced. She smiled at them. "Thought I would bring Central City's finest java over to Central City's finest."

Barry gladly took the cup while Joe dismissed it. "Thanks. I'm off caffeine."

Grace smiled sympathetically at her. "Do you mind if I take it?" She yawned. "Didn't get much sleep last night."

Iris smirked naughtily. Grace seen it and rolled her eyes as she climbed the stairs with her brother. "Trust me if I had one of _those_ nights I would call in the next day and spend it in bed doing two things, one of them being sleeping."

They laughed as they walked toward Barry's lab. "My dad's been mad at me every since I told him about me and Eddie."

"No, you mean he's mad at you because you didn't tell him."

"Uh, first, that sounds like you're taking his side, and second, do you know how he does this whole, “I'm not talking to you, but I have a whole bag full of judgmental looks I'm gonna try out on you later”"

"Yeah, I've been on the receiving end of those a few times."

"Me too."

"Yeah, did you tell him about you and Cisco yet?"

She nodded. "This morning. He took it quite well too."

"Darn, I thought he'd go all 'protective dad' on you too."

"He probably will at some point," she reassured her. "And I warned Cisco about it too."

"Speaking of communications, or lack thereof, after all of these journalism classes, I got an idea."

"Huh."

"I started a blog."

"That's cool," Grace said sipping the coffee.

"All right, what's it about? Your brownie obsession? 'Cause, you know, you probably shouldn't broadcast that," he teased as Grace laughed.

"No, something important. Something that Central City needs to know about, The Streak. And his sister."

"Wha...?" Grace looked at her. "He has a sister?" She looked at Barry and then Iris. "Is that the weird thing I've been seeing flying around the city?"

She nodded. She seen the look on Barry's face. "He's out there, Barry. Rumor has it, they stopped an armed car robbery earlier. I was hoping that I could take a look at the file, and--"

"Oh, my God...." Grace laughed as Barry gave him Iris the 'Don't even think about it look.

"What?" Barry said. "I'm not at liberty to discuss an ongoing police investigation with you."

"Since when, Mr. Blabbermouth?"

They walked around her and headed for Barry's lab, as Barry said, "Take it from someone who's been investigating the impossible since they were 11. Blogging about this is only gonna bring the crazies to your front door."

"I agree with Barry," Grace said hurriedly. "I mean, Iris--"

"My blog is anonymous."

"All right, well, anonymous or not, it's not safe," Barry insisted. "You never know what kind of weirdos are out there trolling on the internet."

"I can vouch for that."

Grace gasped and tipped her cup back toward her, spilling it on her. "Damn it!" she hissed.

Barry launched himself at Grace to help her as Felicity continued, "The internet is full of weirdos and nerd rage... Lots and lots of nerd rage." She smiled at Barry.

"Yeah, mom, you would know."

Barry perked up even more when he heard Lexy's voice. "Lex! Hey!"

Lexy smiled, flapped the file she was reading on his desk, picked up a few napkins from the desk and walked to him, hugging him hard. "Good to see you again, Barry." She handed them to Grace. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, um...I'll be fine." She looked down at her dress and sighed. "However, my dress will not." She exhaled slowly. "I should probably call Cisco and cancel our lunch plans."

Felicity smiled at Iris. "Hi, Felicity Smoak," she held out her hand to Iris.

"Iris West," she said shaking her hand. "Who's the girl that definitely perked Barry up the moment he heard her?"

"Oh, that's my daughter, Lexy." She smiled at Lexy. "Sweetheart, meet Iris West."

She smiled. "Hi, Alexandra Queen. Call me Lexy."

"Queen?!" Iris exclaimed. "As in....Oliver Queen?"

Lexy nodded. "That's my dad. One of the seven best men I know."

"Wow...." Iris said.

Barry interjected, "Felicity's the--"

"The girl that you met in Starling City, the Computerer, right? You two worked on one of Barry's unexplainable cases."

"Which, long story short, was definitely explainable," Felicity threw in. She pointed at the ceiling. "So the lightning came through here?"

"Uh....yeah."

"Can I ask you one question it's for my best friend and then I promise I will never talk about it again?" Lexy asked with an innocent smile.

He chuckled. "Miss Lexy, you can ask anything you want."

"Did it hurt?"

"Did what hurt?" he asked.

"When the lightning struck you? Did it hurt or did you immediately pass out?"

He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. "You're adorable. Um...I don't really remember if it did or not. I'm sure it did. It was lightning."

"Oh, I know that and that's what I tried to tell Nick, but..."

Felicity smiled. "Nick's a nerd like the rest of us...especially about unexplained phenomenon."

Grace laughed. "Aww....Barry, you may have found a nerd boy." She smirked. "I told you you'd never grow up, Big Brother."

He laughed. "Shut up."

Lexy smiled. "He's the cutest nerd I know."

Barry laughed. "Felicity, this is my younger sister, Grace. Grace, Felicity."

Grace smiled. "Hi. It's good to meet you. Barry's told me so much about you and Lexy I feel like I know you already."

She smiled. "I wish I could say the same for you. Barry never mentioned he had a sister."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Of course not."

Barry turned to Grace. "I wasn't there long enough to mention family members. You know you are usually the first one I bring up."

Grace laughed softly. "Liar."

"Grace--"

She kissed his cheek. "I still love you, B, but I gotta get going and see if I can find another outfit in my closet before my lunch date with my own cute nerd." Grace looked at her brother. "By the way, go to the CCNP's website."

"Why did you make the front page again?"

She smiled. "No, but someone else in your inner circle did."

He walked to his computer and typed in the website address. Right there on the front page was:

**OLIVER QUEEN TO MARRY!!**

  
  


Barry smiled when he seen the engagement photo. He looked at Felicity. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Felicity said.

Iris walked over and looked at the photo, then gasped. She looked at Felicity. "You're marrying Oliver Queen?!"

Felicity nodded. "I am." She held up her hand to show her the ring.

Iris looked at it and then at Barry. "Wow...I expected flashy."

Lexy laughed. "My dad doesn't do flashy anymore, Miss West."

"Call me Iris."

"Thank you," Lexy said, putting her hands behind her back.

Iris looked at the necklaces around her neck. "Oh, those are pretty."

She smiled. "Thanks." She held up the zodiac one and said, "Nick got this for me and then this one," she held up the arrow necklace, "was from mom and dad on Valentine's day last year."

Iris smiled. "Very pretty." She looked at Felicity. "I think it's adorable that she calls you mom."

Felicity nodded. "She's been doing it for almost two years now, but now I'm legally her mom, so..."

"Oh....so Oliver let you adopt...."

She nodded. She put her arms around Lexy's shoulder and smiled. "Best decision I ever made." She kissed the top of Lexy's head. She looked up at Barry. "Wanna walk with us?"

"Sure," he said. "Grace, you coming. Maybe we'll run into Cisco."

She sighed. "Oh, yeah, that's an impression I wanna make."

He laughed, with Iris and Felicity. The 4 of them left, leaving Iris to go to work.

***********************

They walked through the park at a leisurely stroll pace. Barry stopped his sister and looked at her hand. "It healed."

She nodded. "I blew cold air on it," she explained. She smiled up at her big brother. "Promise I'm fine. Remember, fire and water can't hurt me anymore, Big Brother."

"Why not fire?" Lexy asked, genuinely curious.

Grace smiled. "Tell you later."

"Iris seems very nice. And really pretty. Like, super pretty," she said and smiled up at him. "Congratulations."

"Well, Iris isn't my girlfriend. She's just a friend who actually has a boyfriend."

"Oh, that's... Interesting, I guess."

Grace nodded, then shook her head. "It's really not." She smiled up at him. "I keep trying to tell him to show her he's interested, but...."

Lexy smiled. "Rejection's not as difficult as you think."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I had a crush on a guy who's about the same age as my Aunt Thea and he turned me down." She smiled at Barry. "Sure, I was upset, but now he's still my best friend, and now he's like an Uncle and big brother." She stopped. She looked at her mom. "Okay. I didn't realize how dysfunctional that actually sounded until now." She rubbed her forehead. "Oh, God..."

The adults laughed and Grace put an arm around her shoulders. "I like you, Lexy Queen."

"Thanks, I like you too."

Barry smiled. "Not that I'm not enjoying the company, but what are you really doing here? Both of you. Shouldn't Lexy be in school?"

"Lexy's school work is fine," Felicity smiled.

"I mean, it's good to see you, but do you and Oliver need something, or..."

"No, no, I came, we came because we wanted to see you. I heard you were out of the coma. Didn't call, didn't write, didn't race over..." she implied.

Grace's eyes went wide and Barry looked at her and then at Felicity. "Oliver told you?"

"Honestly, I heard you four talking on that rooftop in Starling City that night. I want to see it. Both of you," she looked at Grace. "If you don't mind."

She shook her head. "Um...it's up to Barry," she said.

He looked at Grace, then back at Felicity. "Uh....okay, you see that building?"

Felicity nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Keep your eyes on it."

He took off and they saw the lightning racing up the building, then go in a quick circle and then come back down. He reappeared next to her holding his phone, facing her.

"Whoa." she gasped. She took his phone. "You took a picture of me? From the top of that building?"

"Yeah. Don't instagram that," he told her.

Still in awe, all she could say was, "Unbelievable."

He chuckled. Grace looked down. "B, your shoes are smoking."

Felicity looked down too. "Oh, gosh!"

He stomped his foot. "That... that's fine. It's... it happens sometimes. It's why I have a friction-proof suit." He smiled at Felicity. "Gracie'll have to wait to show you her abilities. But Lexy already saw one."

Felicity looked at her and she smiled. "The glass Sparrow," she answered.

Felicity nodded. "Right. That was beautiful."

"Thank you. It was something that Cisco and I discovered one night while watching um...." she saw the eyes on her. "Never mind."

He laughed.

"Where did you get the suit?" Felicity asked.

He smiled at Lexy and then looked at Felicity. "I'll show you. Both of you."

"That'll give me enough time to change too."

* * *

 

Barry, Grace, Felicity and Lexy walked into the main operating part of S.T.A.R. Labs. "And this is where my team monitors the police bands for criminal activity. We can track anything that's happening in the city. Check this out. We've got our own satellite."

"I know. I've hacked into it from time to time," she muttered looking around.

"Rude," Cisco said eating a stick of licorice.

Caitlin anxiously rushed to them. "It is, of course, so wonderful to see you again, Felicity. I'm just wondering how much of our operation she needs to know about, especially with Oliver Queen's daughter here."

Felicity smiled. "I'm really good at keeping secrets and so is Lexy."

"That may be....."

Barry interjected. "They work with The Arrow."

"Sweet," Cisco said excitedly.

"And you apparently are not."

"Now it's all making sense. You know who The Arrow is." He paused and looked at Barry and Grace. "Wait, do you know who The Arrow is?"

"Uh..." they hedged.

Cisco looked at his girlfriend. "I'm hurt."

She exhaled. "Cisco."

"Let's just say that my team has a similar set up, but with...more pointy objects," Felicity said trying to deflect.

Cisco stood back and thought about the Starling City Vigilantes that everyone was talking about.

"Welcome, Ms. Smoak."

"Dr. Wells?" She looked at the man in the wheelchair and then at Barry. " _The_ Dr. Wells?"

"Please, call me Harrison, Felicity."

"Oh, you know who I am?"

"Ranked second in the national informative technology competition at age 19," he motored into the operations room, "graduated M.I.T. With masters degree in cyber security and computer sciences. I know who you are. I keep an eye out for promising talent in scientific fields. It's what brought me Cisco, Caitlin, and I foresaw great things from you." He turned to Lexy. "And I see great things for you too, Miss Queen."

She nodded. "Thank you, Sir."

"Call me, Harrison please." He eyed her with that smile in place. "We'll be seeing more of each other I'm sure."

"Speaking of great things, want to see something cool?"

***********************

They stood in the observational room as Barry ran at about 400 miles an hour and counting in the next room, on a treadmill. Cisco then snapped his fingers and said to Lexy. "You're the Sparrow!"

She immediately jerked and then whirled around on him. "What?!" she said, trying to evade. She laughed wryly. "Yeah, right, Cisco. My dad would _**kill**_ me if I did anything that dangerous."

Trying to deflect attention from her daughter, Felicity asked, " How fast can he run?"

Harrison's eyes never left Barry as he said, "He hasn't reached his top speed yet, theoretically speaking."

"So is he really okay?"

"His heart rate is within normal range for him," Caitlin said. 

"No, I mean, the lightning bolt changed him. Do any of you really know how much?" 

"We know a fair amount," Cisco answered as Grace put a hand on the back of his chair and stood. 

Felicity turned to them. "If everything about him is sped up, is he going to age faster? What would happen if he ran too fast? I mean, would he just be running, and then, poof, he's dust in a red costume?"

Lexy laughed. "Mom, breathe."

Harrison smiled. "Everything we do here at S.T.A.R. Labs is to protect Barry and Grace Allen. Trust us, Felicity, he is in very good hands here."

"Besides, I can honestly say if we weren't I would bitch about it until they left us alone." She put a hand on Cisco's shoulder. "But I trust these guys with our lives." She nodded in Barry's direction. "And he's one of the four most important people in my life. So, trust me, okay?"

"Want to see how fast I can run backwards?" Barry's voice filled the room before there was a loud crash. Both Lexy and Felicity outwardly flinched, while Grace made a face. "I'll get the ice," she said as she headed out. "After a change."

"Don't worry. He heals quickly too," Caitlin added. 

"Change?" Cisco asked. 

She turned and showed him the stain. "Just curious, what are you looking at when you see me?"

He smiled. "You are aware that I don't always check out your body when I see you, right?"

She smirked. "Right." She turned on her heel and walked out. "Be back in ten."

* * *

 

 

After Grace changed and Barry healed, the 4 of them headed out. Lexy left them as they headed for Jitters to go get a jumping start on her English Chapter Summary for the Scarlet Letter and finish up the rest of her homework. They walked into Jitters and Iris approached all 3 of them. "Hey, you 3."

Iris seen Grace's outfit. "Oh, you changed."

"Had to, remember?"

"Oh, right! That was a really cute dress too." She looked at her concerned. "Is it ruined?"

She shook her head. "No, Caitlin said she'd take it to the dry cleaners for me."

"Oh, good," Iris said. "Where's Lexy?"

"At the hotel," Felicity answered. "Oliver and I agreed that the only way she'd come here is to catch up on her homework. She's missed a few days because of appointments and needs to catch up."

"Oh, that's too bad." She smiled. "She's beautiful."

"She is," Felicity said.

"I know she's not yours biologically, but has anyone ever told you that you and her look a lot a like?"

She nodded. "A few people have said they see similarities, but..."

She smiled. "Well, you do."

"Thank you," she said, smiling from ear to ear. "I'll take that as a compliment because her biological mother was gorgeous." 

"Really?"

She nodded. "Like Grace Kelly pretty."

She smiled. "Has Barry been showing you some of the sights in Central City?"

"Yes, I have seen some pretty amazing things."

"Really?" She turned and started walking to a back table. "Well, if you've got some time, maybe we can show you some of Central City's night life."

"Oh, no. I get plenty of night life in Starling City."

"Oh, this is something that I don't think that you're gonna want to miss." She smiled at Grace. "Trivia night at Jitters. Eddie's not really excited about it, I admit. But it could be our night, guys." She looked at Grace. "Bring Cisco and we'll make it a triple date."

"Right," she said laughing. "Can't tonight. Cisco's got dinner with his family."

Barry looked at his friend. "Oh, yeah? Our night to win $75 worth of cappuccinos."

"Uh, yum," Felicity snatched flier from her.

Iris smiled. "So, Gracie, are you going to the dinner?"

She shook her head. "Strangely enough he doesn't want me to meet his family."

"What? Why?"

"Um....I'm not exactly sure."

Iris nodded. "So, Felicity, when's the big wedding?"

"Summer," she answered. "Haven't exactly settled on a month or date yet, but we know it'll be the summer."

"You know what, I'm gonna go call work, check in, make sure everything's okay. And see if my fiance wants to Skype later when I get back to the hotel. I'll be back in a second."

Grace knew that look. "Oh, God....Iris don't."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"The trivia night with you and Eddie, forcing this whole double date thing."

"Because that girl is great, and she happens to come from your very rare species of adorable nerds." She looked at her friend. "Why didn't you tell me more about her?" 

"There's nothing to tell. She's engaged. She's just a friend. Did I mention she's engaged?"

"Barry, girls don't just hop on trains and travel hundreds of miles to see someone that they don't like." She looked at him. "Besides, do you really think that  _**Oliver Queen** _ is actually going to marry her? It is Oliver we are talking about here."

"Well, I'm going to try and not take offense to that."

They both turned to see Lexy standing behind Barry. Iris gasped. "Oh, Lexy, I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "But you're not." She held up a hand. "Could I get a triple chocolate hot cocoa, please." She seen the apologetic look in her eyes and sighed. "Look, I know my father doesn't have the best reputation in the world. Heck, I can go on the internet and figure it out. But, I would like to believe that having me around and taking care of me has changed him."

"Of course," Iris said.

Barry looked at Lexy. "She was going off rumors, Lex."

"I know. As I said, I'd like to think he's changed." She slapped a $5 bill on the counter. "And besides, you really shouldn't say anything about anyone unless you know them." She turned and walked out.

Iris sighed. "She's right. I made the assumption that Oliver wouldn't have changed--"

Grace shook her head. "I don't think that's all that was. She's thirteen and Sophomore in high school. It probably gets pointed out to her just how much of a manwhore her father used to be." She shrugged. "She probably just reacted."

Iris sighed and looked at Barry. "You should bring Felicity anyway. She could use a night to not be 'mom' while visiting a friend." She smiled. "We'll have fun."

"Yeah, fun."

* * *

 

 

Grace walked into S.T.A.R. Labs and was a little surprised to see Cisco still there. She slowed and walked to him. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you here."

"What?" he blinked at her. 

She smiled softly. "Baby, what are you doing here? I thought you had dinner with your parents tonight?"

"Um...yeah. I told them I wasn't coming."

"Why not?" she asked. She could tell that something was wrong. "Cisco?"

"Um....Gracie, I think I messed up."

"What do you mean?"

He took her hand and pulled her into the hallway and then down another dark corridor. She seen an empty caged locker. "What was in here?"

"A cold gun," he answered. "I created it in case Barry went all dark side like the others who was hit with the--"

"Stop," she said. "I get it. I'd hate to see what you made for me in case I went dark side."

He smiled. "Yeah, it's probably best for our relationship if you never find that out."

She laughed. She sighed and ran a hand through her dark wavy hair. "Okay. Well, we gotta tell Wells."

"We? Why we?"

"Because we're a team." She smiled. "And I'm not talking about the whole team, I mean you and me." She closed the gap between them and put her arms around his neck. "We're in this together. If you go down, then I'll be there to pick you up."

He sighed. How in the hell did he get so lucky? "You're amazing, you know that?"

She smiled. "I do, but it's been a very long time that someone besides my family has said it, so thank you."

He reached up and kissed her deeply. She kissed him again, this time quickly. "I'll get Wells."

A few minutes later, Wells and Grace came back with Caitlin in toe and Cisco told him everything. Wells didn't look happy, in fact he looked livid. "How long has it been missing?"

"I don't know."

Frustrated Wells tried again, "I'm gonna ask you again, Cisco. But when I do, I expect a more specific answer than “I don't know.” now, how long has this weapon been gone?"

"A day, maybe two. One of the janitors didn't show up for work this morning. He was probably the one who took it. I didn't think that..."

"You didn't think, because if you had, you would have discussed with me first your desire to build something that could, in theory, hurt anyone, and in particular, Barry Allen."

"Hey, ease up a little," Grace defended. 

"I'm sorry. If you just let me explain..."

"You know how I feel about weapons, Cisco. They do not belong in S.T.A.R. Labs." He looked at Grace. "I expected you to be a little more angry about this than that."

She shrugged. "Well, after everything I can see--"

"Now, you are gonna figure out a way to locate this gun, and you are gonna do it right now." Wells left.

"This thing you built, what can it do?" Caitlin asked.

"Bad stuff," he simply answered.

The echoing beep from the control room had them all rushing down to check it out. Grace got to the computer first. She typed quickly. "Someone spotted Snart," she said. She exhaled. She looked at her phone when it beeped too. "And Barry's on his way...." the whoosh of air had her sighing. "Never mind. He's here." She looked at Cisco. "One of these times I'll beat him."

He laughed. "Highly doubtful, Gracie."

She smiled and kissed him, dragging it out. "We'll find it. I promise, okay?"

He nodded. "But Wells was mad?"

She waved him off. "I wouldn't worry about it, Baby. He'll get over it. He seems to be overemotional when it comes to Barry anyway."

She quickly changed and rushed out. Caitlin smirked. "Pet names now?"

He rolled his eyes. "Shut up. I noticed, I just don't think she wants me to. And I actually kinda like it."

She laughed. "Of course you do."

 

* * *

 

As Joe chased Snart through the City, he used the cold ray gun to freeze the road to distract Joe. Grace and Barry got there and rushed in after Joe. Barry pushed Joe out of the way, but got hit with the ray. Noticing what it was, Grace stepped in the way of it and it froze her for a moment and then seconds later she busted through. 

Snart looked surprised. "How....?"

She smirked. "You've got your secrets. I got mine."

He fired again at Barry and she turned. She pushed her hands out and deflected the ice off of the building and threw it back at him, but he dodged. She smiled. "It's not any fun when they fight back, is it, Snart?"

To keep them on their toes, he started firing at the random people still left in the building and Barry and Grace started getting them out of harm's way. However, there was one man they couldn't get out, one of the guards.

The man died.

Grace sighed. "Barry, come on," she said. "We gotta go regroup or something and get you checked out."

He nodded. 

* * *

 

 

"It's still numb," he said, hissing as he attempted to touch it. 

"It's presenting itself like third degree frostbite."

"I thought he had hyper healing," Felicity said. 

"It's been slowed. If your cells weren't regenerating at the rate they are, your blood vessels would have frozen solid and the nerve damage would have been permanent. You're lucky to be alive."

"Snart wasn't another meta-human. He has some kind of gun. It froze things, slowed me down...enough that I wasn't in time to save someone."

"Barry..."

Lexy stood, in a pair of yoga pants and a S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?" Barry asked.

"Because Leonard Snart didn't even finish high school. With some of the people I've had to deal with I can see why. But anyway, I digress." She exhaled. "So, how does someone without even the most basic of knowledge build a cold ray gun?"

"Just curious, were you in bed before your mom brought you here?" Barry asked.

"No. I was Skyping with Nick."

"S.T.A.R. Labs built the cold gun," Wells said, still angry.

Cisco piped up. "Dr. Wells and Caitlin had nothing to do with this. I built the gun." 

"You did? Why?"

"Because speed and cold are opposites. Temperature is measured by how quickly the atoms of something are oscillating. The faster they are, the hotter it is, and when then are cold, they're slower on the atomic level. When there's no movement at all, it's called..."

"Absolute zero."

"Yeah. I designed a compact Cryo engine to achieve absolute zero. I built it to stop you. I didn't know who you were then, Barry. I mean, what if you turned out to be some psycho, like Mardon or Nimbus?"

"But I didn't. Did I?" He said, getting angry.

"We built the entire structure you're standing in to do good, and it blew up. In the wake of that, you can understand why Cisco would want to be prepared for the worst."

"I can understand that, but what I can't understand is why you didn't tell me what you did. I mean, after all we've been through, I thought you trusted me. I thought we were friends."

"We are, Barry."

"I mean, if you would have just told me, I could have been prepared. But instead, someone died tonight."

"And I have to live with that," Cisco said simply. 

"No, Cisco. We all do."

Grace exhaled. "I'll be back."

"No, Grace, leave--"

"He's my brother," she reminded Wells. She walked off. She found him in the treadmill room, running. "Did that make you feel better?"

At first he ignored her, acting like he didn't hear her. She sighed. "Don't act like you can't hear me, Bartholomew."

He sighed, stopping. "Grace, not now."

"Yes, now!" she exclaimed. "Barry, come on! We both know we could have gone either way with these powers we have."

"But we didn't!"

"You're right we didn't. And I'd like to think that's because of Joe and Iris, because trust me when I tell you this I was angry when I first discovered them. I was pissed."

"Why?"

"Because I would never be normal again, Barry. The elements no longer affect me the way they will with you, Joe, Cisco or Iris. I will never feel the cold of the snow the way I used to. I can generate a seismic event with one of my footstomping tempers. Nothing's the same for me. I will always run hotter than the usual human. Which is part of the reason why I'm afraid to have sex with Cisco."

He whirled around. "What? Why?"

"Because what if I run so hot during....that I implode or something else happens?"

His face softened. She was afraid to hurt him. She exhaled. "But this is our lives now Barry. We have to live with it. And they have to live with us. I understand his fear of the unknown, because I'm there with him, Big Brother. We could still go dark side."

He shook his head. "No." He walked to her and took her face in his hands. "Because we won't let each other. We've always had each other's backs and--"

"We'll continue to have each other's backs."

"Your sister's right."

"What are you doing here?" Barry asked. "You should go back to your hotel. Get some sleep. Put your daughter to bed."

"You should too," Felicity said.

"I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see that man's face." He sat down. "I watched him die. I have to go faster."

"Barry, it's not about speed."

"She's right. Barry, it's not your fault. And it's not Cisco's, either. Barry, I know you're upset, but you have to look at this from his point of view."

"No, I get it. He didn't trust me."

"It's not about trust!" Grace almost yelled.

Felicity looked at her and then at Barry. "Barry, when you met us... Me, Oliver, Lexy and Dig...we were this well-oiled archery machine," She said climbing the stairs to the treadmill. "But it didn't start out that way. And unlike you guys, we weren't tossed together overnight. We came together one at a time. Believe me, it took much more than watching Oliver do the salmon ladder to make me trust him."

Barry scoffed, attempting to say something, but never finding the right way to say it.

"I've seen firsthand what this life can do to people. It's a lonely path. Don't make it any lonelier than it has to be."

* * *

 

 

Awhile later, Lexy fell asleep and was asleep on the bed Barry used when he was hurt. While everyone else was standing around trying to figure out a way to stop Snart. Grace wished she could help both Barry and Cisco, but at the moment they were both shutting her out. So, like with one of Joe's silent treatments, she'd wait them out. 

" I figured out a way to track Captain Cold."

"Captain Cold?" Grace asked.

"You gotta stop naming these guys," Caitlin told him. 

Barry didn't seem enthusiastic about it. Grace sighed. "Barry."

"Barry, listen to him."

Grace exhaled. "Hear him out, please?" 

"How?" 

"The cold gun is powered by an engine control unit, a microcomputer that regulates air-to-fuel ratios so the sub-cooled fluid in the chambers don't overflow and--"

"Explode," Felicity interjected. 

"Right. This E.C.U. was receiving updates wirelessly from my tablet. If I boost the signal using Central City's network and send a false update, we'll get a ping back, and then..."

"We can locate Snart," Wells said catching on. 

"How long will it take?"

"First I have to hack into the City's network, so I don't know, 30 minutes, maybe?"

"Oh, I could do--"

"I can do it in less than one," she said rushing to a computer.

Grace nodded. "And it happens again," she muttered. She turned to walk into the room where her suit was.

"When it comes to hacking, I'm the fastest woman alive," Felicity said, then cracked her knuckles. "Ow! That was not as badass as I pictured." She got down to work and in seconds she was in. "All right, I'm in."

"Are you kidding?"

"All right, I'm sending the updates. We're connected."

"Network is triangulating the location."

"We got him. He's heading west on Nelson toward the train station," Caitlin said. 

"If he's leaving, it appears Mr. Snart may have gotten what he came for."

Barry took off into the suit room and came back out, dressed. 

Cisco smiled. "When we put our minds to it, dude, nothing can stop us. Oh, you turned your ear piece off. How are we gonna talk to each other?" He asked, a little surprised.

"I don't feel like talking right now."

"Stop!" 

They all froze in their place at the sound of Grace's yelling command. Cisco turned to look at her. "Gracie?"

"I don't know if any of you noticed but Snart can slow Barry down."

"Right," Barry said. "What's your point?"

"My point is, Barry. I'm resistant to it. It doesn't slow me down or anything. So, as much as this will be a stab to your ego, Streak, maybe let me take the lead on this?"

"No, Grace, you'll get hur--"

"No more than you will!" she almost yelled. "Come on, Barry. I'm not a kid anymore. And it's bad enough you all have a place...." she sighed. She was not going to go there. "Look, I'm going to do this whether you like it or not. I thought I'd let you still feel like the team leader with my decision, but I'm doing it." She then flew off.

"What was that?" Caitlin asked. She looked at everyone in the room. "Was it me or did it look like she was going to cry?"

"That was a team member feeling like they don't have a position on the team."

They all turned to see Lexy standing. "What?" Barry asked.

"It's the same thing that happened with mom when the Canary showed up. The Canary could do everything she could and she started to feel inadequate to everyone."

"But Grace--"

"Grace right now is your sidekick, Barry. She's not your teammate. She's not your equal." Lexy pointed out. "And she has nothing to do with this this team at all. She comes and goes when there's meta to deal with and then she goes back to work and the whole thing starts again." She looked at the team. "And soon you won't only see her as just Barry's sister, but as Cisco's girlfriend. She has no identity on this team. I mean, think about it. Caitlin takes care of you. Cisco builds all your tech. Dr. Wells oversees the entire thing. You're the team leader, but what does Grace get to do, huh?"

The entire team fell silent.

"Right. She's not here as a member. She's basically a novelty piece to deal with. If you want her on this team, then you're all going to have to let her find her place. Find her position. And Barry, if you want her to be your partner, then you're going to have to trust her. If she's stronger in an area than you are, let her take the lead and for once you back her up." She looked at everyone then at Barry. "You better go."

* * *

 

Grace landed inside the train car and stared down Snart. She smirked. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Oh, were you waiting for me?"

Barry showed up. "There's nowhere to run!"

Snart looked at him. "I didn't see you before. Does your mom know you're out past your bedtime?"

Barry smirked. "If you wanted to get away you should have taken something faster than a train."

Snart did a devilish smirk. "That's if I wanted to get away."

Not caring whether she'd get yelled at about it later, she stood between Barry and Snart. "If you're going to freeze anyone, Snart. It'll be me."

"Oh, Pretty Girl, I don't want to hurt you."

He reached his hand out to touch her face, but she batted it away. "You're not my type, Jackass." 

"I've seen your weakness," he told Barry. "First at the armored car and then the museum. While you're busy saving everyone, I'll be saving myself." He fired the gun, creating ice that seeped through the floor and went to the wheels, causing the train to slide. 

Grace looked at Barry. "Get everyone off the train. I'll go after Snart, then you can meet me."

He nodded. "Hurry."

She flew off and landed in front of Snart. She smiled. "Going somewhere?"

"I thought you'd help get everyone off like your partner."

"He'll be fine by himself." 

She looked into his eyes and he seen them turn to an icy blue color. "Wha...what are you doing?"

"See while you've been messing around with that ray gun I discovered the one weakness with it."

"What's that?"

"You can't...." the snow suddenly appeared and started picking up speed like a blizzard. "....aim and fire if you can't see your target."

"What in the hell are you?!" he said above the roaring of the blizzard.

She smiled as she moved her hands out in front of her and blast icy cold air hit Snart. She heard him roar in pain. "It's not so much fun now is it?"

Snart saw Barry land and fired the gun into his back. Grace gasped. "NO!" she yelled and shot him with another blast. This time it was ice, but he dodged it and it hit the ground. She sighed. "Sonofabitch!"

"Thank you," Snart said pointing the gun at Barry. 

"For what?"

"You forced me to up my game, not only with this gun, but with how I think about the job. It's been educational."

"Drop it." Cisco fired up the gun he held in his hands. 

Grace stood next to him. 

"Do you really want to press your luck, man? With Gaia and this prototype cold gun, four times the size, four times the power. You don't stand a chance."

"I was wondering who you were talking to."

"Hey, unless you want a taste of your own medicine, I'd back the hell up."

"Your hands are shaking. You've never killed anyone."

"There's a first time for everything, Captain Cold. I will shoot you."

"You win, kid. I'll see you around."

"Hey, leave the diamond."

"Don't push your luck."

The machine powered down. Cisco smiled. "Couldn't shoot him if I wanted to. This is actually the S.T.A.R. Labs vacuum cleaner with a lot of L.E.D's."

"Let's get you warm," Felicity said coming to him. 

Barry looked at Cisco. "Thank you." He looked up at Grace. "Why didn't you do more?"

She shrugged. "I..." she fell silent.

"Come on. We gotta get you warm."

Barry looked up at Grace. "Could you do it?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"Get me warm?"

"Um....I don't--"

"Barry, do you really think that's a good--"

"I trust her," he said and looked up at her again. "Could you?"

"Probably, but I've never done it before and I don't want to hurt you."

He sighed. "Just try."

She exhaled. "Okay." She knelt down in front of him and placed one hand at his chest and the other at his legs. "Hold still," she told him. "You move and I will hurt you."

He nodded. "Promise."

They all watched as faint red came from her hands and the ice and frost began to melt. She then stood and backed up. "You should be able to run now."

He smiled and held her.

* * *

 

 

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco was frustrated. And Grace wasn't exactly feeling up to doing anything. She knew what was wrong. She was a stupid sidekick and no one considered her teammate, because she was just Barry's sister to them. It was like school all over again. And she wasn't sure she had the energy to fight like that again.

" We've been trying to track Snart, but he must have disconnected the signal somehow."

"We'll find him, Cisco, together."

"You have a great team here, Barry. Speaking of teams, I should probably get back to mine. Plus, I gotta get her home to her dad." She smiled at her daughter. "The one thing about their relationship that I will always envy is that they can't be without each other for very long."

Lexy smiled. "You won't go away long enough for me to miss you, mom."

All of the adults laughed. "Not a chance," Felicity promised her. 

"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Smoak. Please extend a hello to The Arrow for us," Wells told her. 

"I will."

"Good-bye, Felicity."

"Bye, Barry."

Grace smiled. "I'll walk out with you."

"Wait," Lexy said. "There's one thing I wanna say."

They nodded. She looked at Cisco. "You were right earlier."

"About what?"

She smiled. "I'm the Sparrow."

"Alexandra!"

"I knew it!"

She rolled her eyes, laughing. "Mom, he already figured it out. It's not like I'm telling him any new information." She smiled at him. "And yes, if you put it together you'll probably be right on who the Arrow is too."

He smiled. She smiled back. "However, if she's going to be a member of this team--"

"I'm not sure I am," Grace interjected.

"What?" they all said in unison.

She sighed. "Lexy was right. I'm not a member of this team. You guys don't see me that way." She looked at Caitlin. "You just see me as Cisco's girlfriend--the girl with the camera. Dr. Wells...well, besides, Barry's sister I'm not sure he sees me as anything. Barry still sees me as the little girl in pigtails who wanted to follow him around. I fought to find my identity as more than 'Barry's sister' in school. I'm not exactly sure I have the energy to do that now. You're either going to see me as a member of this team or you're not. And it's obvious you don't."

She felt the tears coming and hoped they stayed back long enough for her to get out what she needed to. She looked at Cisco for a moment and then forced her eyes away. "Heck, the only one who's ever seen me as more than anything is the one who knows  _ me _ ."

"That's not true," Caitlin tried.

"Really? Then explain to me why you won't let me anywhere near any of these devices? Explain to me why every time I approach a computer you hold your breath like you think I'm going to blow it up? And explain to me why you even bother to call me when a Meta shows up if all you're going to do is let me decorate the set so to speak?"

Everyone fell silent. Grace nodded. "That's what I thought. I'll have you know I was decoding websites and hacking into things way before you even discovered what you wanted to do with your life. And I helped my brother build his projects. I even helped him study for all those college exams. Learned some things along the way. I have five degrees and yes, I decided to follow the one that made me the most happy, because if I'm not happy then the achievements mean nothing." She wiped her tears. "You don't need me and I refuse to live in my brother's shadow any longer." With that she walked out.

"Gracie..." Barry said softly. 

She shook her head. "No, Barry. You know I'm right. It's the same way with you when Iris is in the room. I don't exist." She shook her head, this time letting the tears fall. "I can't....do it....anymore," she said her voice cracking as she tried to keep it together. She picked up her jacket and her bag and walked out the door.

Barry sighed. Lexy smiled. "She'll be okay."

"I've never....seen her so upset," Barry admitted. "She was really upset."

She nodded. "She was, but now it's up to you guys to show her that you want her on this team. That she deserves to stand with you through whatever you face. I know this because I've been through it too. I basically had one of those epiphanies with the Arrow. And now he no longer sees me as a kid, but as his partner. But you guys have to make the effort. She can't think you want to do it just so that she's not upset. She wants you guys to show her that she's needed. If she's good at hacking then let her do it. If she can build computer systems like no one's business then let her do it. If she's like you, Barry and she can run something in forensics then let her do it. But remember we're human and our number one need in life is to feel wanted and needed, like we belong. Team Arrow didn't always run as smoothly as you think it did. It took a few tries. Trust me when I tell you that Arrow didn't know how to be a leader anymore than you do. You gotta find your niche with it, Barry. And once that happens then you know you'll run smoothly." 

She hugged him good bye and started walking out with her mom. "And remember, your family should  _**always, always** _ come before some girl, even if said girl has become your family too."

Barry nodded. "Right. See you later, Lexy."

"Bye, Barry. I promise everything will be okay and you and your sister will be as close as ever."

He smiled. He wasn't entirely sure about that. But he'd take hope wherever he could find it. 

* * *

 

 

After everyone went home, Wells went into the secret room where he housed the futuristic tech from his world. He stood from his chair and fired up the AI.  _ "Good evening, Dr. Wells. _

"Good evening, Gideon. Can you bring up all the media for May, 2024?" he asked.

" _ Bringing up everything from May, 2024 _ ."

"Play footage from May 4, 2024."

" _ Playing footage from May 4, 2024 _ ...."

  
  


_**Sad day in Central City as it's been nine days since The Flash has disappeared. We've been trying to get an interview with his sister and partner, Gaia, but no word yet whether the co-leader of Team Flash will speak with us....** _

  
  



	8. Karaoke Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Grace reconnect as siblings. 
> 
> And Grace makes a confession about a huge fear she has with her powers.

Grace groaned as she reached for her phone as it beeped to alert her to a text message. She padded around for it and then pulled it down with her. She lit it up and noticed it was from her brother. She groaned and put the phone back on the nightstand. It'd been about a week since her little emotional lecture and by all accounts the Team was doing just fine without her.

However, if she was to believe Cisco (which she did) then Barry wasn't. She knew how much he hated it when they fought. He'd been hating it since mom died and it became just them against the world. And honestly she hated it too, but she meant it when she said she wasn't going to live in her brother's shadow anymore. She hadn't had to do it her last 2 years in high school and she hadn't had to do it all through college, she refused to do it on a team where everyone just saw her as an ornament.

“Who was that?”

She smiled. That was something that had changed since her emotional lecture. Cisco was spending the night. They weren't having sex, but definitely enjoying each other's company at night. She snuggled into him as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. “My brother.”

“Is everything okay?” He asked into her hair.

She felt the shiver go down her spine and smiled. “Yeah. He wants me to talk to him.”

“In the risk of being kicked out of bed, maybe you should.”

She flipped around to facing him. “What do you mean?”

“Gracie, for the past week you've been nothing but miserable--”

“No! Cisco--”

“I don't mean miserable with us, but you've been miserable. You told me from the day we met that you and your brother are close. And I've seen first hand the love and affection that's between the two of you.”

She exhaled. “I know. And I miss him, but I can't be just 'Barry's little sister' anymore. That sucked the first time around, Cisco.”

He smiled. “I know it did, Sweetheart, but if you don't fix it you're gonna get even more miserable than you are now and hate seeing you that way.”

She let his words sink in for a moment before she rolled onto her side and swiped up her phone. She shot her brother a text: **[To Barry]: I'm willing to talk. Meet me at Jitters at 9.**

She slid it across the table and then rolled herself on top of Cisco. She pinned his hands at his head with her own. She dipped her head down, capture his mouth in a kiss that made his head reel. She pulled back and smiled. “Not trying to tease, but if I don't get moving I will be majorly late. I can fly fast, but I'm not Barry.”

“Thank God for that or this would be very awkward.” He kissed her quick. “Go.”

She climbed off of him and looked in her closet for an outfit. She quickly picked an outfit and then went to take a shower, taking her pants, shirt, and undergarments with her. About fifteen minutes later, she walked back in wearing a pair of light denim jeans and a lacy tank.

Cisco was dressed and ready to walk out with her. He turned around and smiled. She looked gorgeous. “How do you do it?”

“What?”

“Look so beautiful.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “You're cute, but I am not beautiful right now.” She sighed. “I'm nervous is what I am,” she admitted as she sat on her bed and put her shoes on.

“Why are you nervous? It's Barry, it's not like it's me.”

She laughed. “You think you're so cute.”

He smiled. “You tell me enough.”

She smiled and and kissed his cheek again as she stood. She pulled on the light pink blazer. She ran a brush through her hair and then threw it up quickly into a twisty up-do. She turned to him. “What do you think?”

“I think you look great.”

She laughed softly. “Ready?”

“Yep, lets go,” he said. They walked out together and then split up. He headed in the direction of his apartment and she headed for downtown.

* * *

 

Barry nervously sat a 2-top table and waited for his sister. After a few long talks with Joe and Iris he had realized he was treating his sister differently. Joe pointed out the fact that ever since they were kids whenever Iris would walk into a room he'd stop being Grace's big brother and start pining for Iris. While Iris pointed out that he never really put Grace first after they moved in with her and her dad.

She had said that he'd done it up until that night and the time that Joe told them both they were coming to live with him and Iris. _She had to discover fairly quickly, Barry, that she was on her own. That she had to fight for your attention._ He hadn't realized how right they were until it was being pointed out to him. And he knew that was going to be the first thing he apologized for.

Iris smiled at him as she approached with his coffee and Grace's. “Nervous?”

He nodded. “Yes. I mean, Iris, if this doesn't work I could lose my sister forever.”

She lifted her dark eyes to his and realized he was really afraid of doing that. She had never realized that before. She slid into Grace's sit and looked at him. “Barry, why didn't you ever say anything?”

“What?”

“You're afraid of losing her.”

“What?” he tried to pass it off. Finally realizing it wasn't going to work he nodded slowly. He exhaled. “No offense to you and Joe, but she's all I have left. Mom's gone, dad's in prison. It scares me to death.”

She smiled sympathetically. “Admit that to her.” She looked into his eyes. “Barry, she needs to hear  _**how** _ important she is to you. That was the whole point of the fight, right? That you were putting everyone before her?”

He nodded. She smiled. “Then show her that from here on in, she'll come first...” she smiled. “....at least until you get married.”

He laughed and threw a napkin at her. He perked up a little when he seen Grace walking in. Iris turned and smiled. “How in the heck does she always look so good in the morning? I mean, she never seems to drag like the rest of us.”

Barry smiled. “Hi,” he said to Grace as she approached the table.

“Hi,” the younger Allen said, smiling softly. “Morning, Iris.”

“Morning, Gracie,” she said. She smiled at both of them. “Good luck.”

Barry slid off his chair and looked at his sister. “Can I hug you?”

She laughed softly and pulled him into a hug. “It's only been a week, Bar.”

He exhaled. He held her tightly and then turned his face into her hair. “I'm so sorry.”

She held tightly to him. “I am too.”

“What are you apologizing for?”

She looked up into his eyes. “I should have verbalized the way I was feeling before last week.” She sighed. “Sometimes you make it hard to talk to you though.” She slid into her chair.

“How?”

She leaned forward. “Your world revolves around Iris and has been since we were kids, Barry. I've come to terms with it.”

“But you shouldn't have had to, Grace,” he admitted. He exhaled slowly. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I've put everything and everyone before you. You didn't deserve that. What we should have done is be like gangbusters—us against the world.”

She nodded and sipped the coffee sitting in front of her. “We should have.” She smiled. “You always remember.”

He smiled. “And I'm sorry that I didn't try. I'm sorry that once I discovered girls and got a crush on Iris it was like you didn't exist. I am so very sorry.”

She smiled. “You're forgiven,” she admitted. She watched him sigh in relief. “Were you really that worried?”

He nodded. “Yes. I can't lose you, Gracie. We're all that each other's got. It's taken me fourteen years to figure it out, but I'm there now and if--”

She laughed. “Barry, honey, it's okay. We'll start over.”

“How?” He watched as a sly, mischievous smile slid across her mouth. “What?”

“Well....it is karaoke night at our favorite place.”

He laughed. “You're so on.”

She smiled. “Wanna do dinner first?”

“Yeah. That sounds fun. Where?”

“What are you in the mood for?” she asked before sipping her coffee.

“Um....how about Maggie's?”

She smiled. Maggie's was a diner outside of town that their dad used to take them to when it was kids day with dad. She nodded. “Maggie's it is. Wanna meet at eight?”

He smiled. “Sounds good.”

She stood and stood in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Big Brother.”

“I love you too, Gracie.”

She kissed his cheek and then said, “I hate to take my drink and run, but I have a staff meeting I really need to make an appearance at.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Have a good day.”

“You too.” She blew him a kiss and waved to Iris. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted Cisco: **[To Cisco]: It went great! Meeting him for dinner and karaoke.**

**[To Grace]: Oh! I'd pay money to see that! Am I going to see you for lunch today?**

**[To Cisco]: I'll be there as always, Handsome. See you later. XOXO**

 

* * *

 

 

She walked into Maggie's at about 7:45 that night and found a table not far from the door. She scanned the diner and realized she was the only one here for now. She took her jacket off and put it over the chair and laid her purse next to her. About 5 minutes later, her brother walked in and smiled when he seen her. He walked up to her and bussed her cheek before taking a seat.

“Have you been waiting long?” Barry asked, taking his jacket off.

She shook her head. “Nope. About five minutes.” 

“Oh, good.”

She smirked over her menu. “So are you going to order what you did the last time we were here with dad?”

He laughed. “No. Besides the occasional meal, I don't eat mac and cheese that often anymore.”

She laughed. “I was kidding. Okay. So what are you going to order?”

“Um...a bacon cheeseburger, fries and some chicken tenders. What about you?”

“Um....country fried steak, potatoes and gravy.”

He laughed. “Definitely more sophisticated than the last time we were here.”

She laughed. “Yeah.” She shrugged. “I figured I'm twenty-three now, probably shouldn't eat chicken fingers in public.”

He laughed. The waitress approached and they both placed their orders. Grace smiled. Maybe this night wouldn't be that bad.

* * *

 

 

They left the outskirts of town by Barry running and her flying. They both landed out of eyesight in the town square. He took her hand in the way he used to do when their mom would take them to town and she told him to 'hold her hand and don't let go'. They held hand, palm to palm. “So, how are you and Cisco doing?” he asked heading for the bar that had karaoke night.

She shrugged. “I don't know. I honestly don't. I mean, most of the time it's like nothing's changed and then he'll kiss me and everything ignites, but then we're back to the way we used to be.”

“What number date are you on?”

“Um....tomorrow he's taking me out to dinner. That will be date number four. Which before you even ask, I know what that means. We're getting closer to either taking the plunge and sleeping together or staying friends....who kiss occasionally.”

He laughed softly. “I wish I could give you some advice, Kiddo, but I can't. I'm still in the friend-zone.”

She sighed. “Do you ever get the feeling with Iris that if you both just go for it what could come out of the two of you could be an amazing thing?” She looked up at her brother. “Or is that just me with Cisco?”

He laughed softly and kissed her head. “I don't know, Gracie. Sometimes I get that feeling, yeah, but these days she's all about Eddie.”

She smiled. “Can I give you a secret about Eddie that I discovered by hanging out with Iris and Eddie? One that you will find immediately he's not the perfect Prince Charming.”

“Please!”

She smiled. She moved in front of him and trusting him completely to make sure she didn't get her she started walking backwards, “He likes ham and pineapple pizza.”

She laughed when he made a major gagging sound. “I know!” she laughed. “It's disgusting. Telling you I think Iris will puke the next time we have pizza with him if he orders another ham and pineapple pizza.”

He cringed. “Yeah. That's gross. It's not natural.”

She laughed softly. She exhaled as she stopped him and looked up at him. “I know with your life and maybe mine someday we can't always do this, but what do you think of carving out one day or night a month that you and I just hang out and do whatever.” She released a sigh. “I don't want to let ourselves to get back to where we were, Barry.”

He nodded. “Promise,” he vowed. 

They walked into the bar to hear a man singing very much off key and a lot of the people were cringing or wincing as he attempted to hit the high notes. Barry smiled. “Hey, want me to fill out the page for us?”

She nodded. “I'll get us drinks.”

“Can I pick anything or are you in the mood for something?”

“No, go ahead and pick something. I'm willing to sing anything.”

He smiled. He walked up to the table and took a sheet. He went through the song titles. He smiled when he found one that Grace sang a lot when they were growing up. He filled out the paper and the woman who sat at the table and she smiled up at him. “You want to do them all at once or can we mix them up?”

He smiled. “Mix them up.”

She nodded. “Well, then you'll be up next, okay?”

He nodded. “That's fine.”

He walked up to the table where Grace sat, smiling. “Hey, I'm gonna be up next.” He took his beer and swigged.

“Cool. What did you pick?”

He smirked. “That's a surprise. However, I'll tell you this, it was a school musical.”

She smiled. “Okay.”

“All right, everyone. We got a new one. Barry Allen singing _What Do I Need With Love? From Thoroughly Modern Millie_.”

Grace laughed and clapped happily as Barry took the stage. They'd seen it in their theater with their parents when he was 8 and she was 6. They both had instantly fallen in love with the play. The music started and Barry began singing:

_Oh, the places I would like to show you_   
_Although I hardly know you_   
_I've a funny feeling we make a perfect pair_   
_Famous sites I want to see you seeing_   
_Then nights of you and me-ing_   
_Me. You. We -_   
_Wait a minute! Just a minute! No, no, no, no!_   
  
_I'm a Joe with just oen aim_   
_Ev'ry night to date a diff'rent dame_   
_Call each one of 'em the same pet name_   
_"Hey, baby!"_   
_In a row, I have my ducks_   
_Loads of gals to give me loads of yucks_   
_Leave the cooing to the other clucks_   
_I don't mean maybe_   
_Got it good. What do I need with love?_   
  
_Always practice what I preach_   
_Keep temptation out of easy reach_   
_Stick to dolls who wash their hair in bleach_   
_I'm happy_   
_Come and go the way I choose_   
_Never gonna sing the tied-down blues_   
_Other guys would kill to fill my shoes_   
_No wing-clipped sappy_   
_Got it good. What do I need with love?_   
  
_That was a near miss, talk about a close shave_   
_Flirted with disaster_   
_There must be someone up there watching over me_   
_Talk about a four-leaf-clover-me_   
_Peter Rabbit's missing footsie_   
_Means I roll without a tootsie_   
  
_Got it good. What do I need with love?_   
_I got it good. What do I need with love?_   
  
_Skip the vows and all that rot_   
_Tell the minister that "I do" not_   
_Bright and breezy is the -_   
_Birds and bees-y is the -_   
_Free and easy is the life I got_   
  
_Without her._   
  
_Although I hardly know you_   
_What do I need with love?_   
_I got it good_   
_Got it good_   
_But now I got it bad!_

  
  


By the time that Barry had finished, the audience had gone wild. And Grace high fived him. “That was GREAT! I knew you'd be a better Jimmy than Kurt Hanson.”

He laughed. “It would have been awkward with you being Millie.”

She laughed. “Oh, yeah. Very true.”

About 2 hours later and several prayers to be deaf for the rest of the night, it was finally Grace's turn. The woman got up on the stage and said, “Alright, now we've got Grace Allen singing from Not For the Life of Me from Thoroughly Modern Millie.” She smiled. “I'm sensing a pattern.”

Grace laughed and walked onto the stage. The music started and Barry cheered her on and then picked up his phone and began recording her as she sang the song that had gotten the entire auditorium of Central City High out of their chairs and cheering at the top of their lungs. 

 

_I've studied all the pictures_

_In magazines and books._   
_I've memorized the subway map, too._   
_It's one block north to Macy's_   
_And two to Brother's Brooks._   
_Manhattan!_   
_I've prepared for you._   
  
_You certainly are different_   
_From what they have back home_   
_Where nothing's over three stories high._   
_And no one's in a hurry_   
_Or wants to roam,_   
_But I do,_   
_Though they wonder why._   
  
_They said I would soon be good and lonely._   
_They said I would sing the homesick blues,_   
_So I always have this ticket in my pocket._   
_A ticket home_   
_In my pocket_   
_To do with as I choose._   
  
_MILLIE tears ticket into bits._   
  
_Burn the bridge!_   
_Bet the store!_   
_Baby's comin' home no more--_   
_Not for the life of me!_   
  
_Break the lock!_   
_Post my bail!_   
_Done my time I'm outta jail!_   
_Not for the life of me!_   
  
_A life that's gotta be more than one a light town_   
_Where the light is always red._   
_Gotta be more than an old ghost town_   
_Where the ghost ain't even dead!_   
  
_Clap your hands_   
_Just-a because_   
_Don't ya know that where I am ain't where I was!_   
_Not for the life of me!_   
_Boh-doh-dee-oh!_   
  
_Not for the life of..._   
_Not for the life of..._   
_Not for the life of me!_

  
  


Just like in high school, when she finished everyone was on their feet and cheering, catcalling and whistling for her performance, which was the same vocal performance from high school. When she finished and started walking toward him, he quickly sent the video to Joe, Iris and Cisco with the caption of:  **2006's Millie Dillmount has made a rare appearance!!!**

He sat his phone on the table and she looked at him. “What did you do?”

He smirked into his beer. “Sent Joe, Iris and Cisco your performance.”

“You sent it to Cisco?” she asked, feeling sick with embarrassment. “Oh, God....he doesn't even know I can sing.”

He laughed. “Kiddo, he was going to find out at some point. You sing in the shower and you sing while cooking.”

“Which are two things he hasn't seen me do yet,” she said and then swigged her beer. She exhaled.

“What's wrong?”

She shrugged. He smiled. “Come on, Kid. You used to tell me everything.”

“That was before, when you weren't best friends with the guy I had feelings for.”

He laughed. “Doesn't matter. You need to talk. I'm here to listen.”

She smiled, her heart swelling. He'd always said that, even when it was about a boy she was dating. “I'm wondering if I should up my game and make him realize that I want to take us further than we are, or if I should just leave it the way it is and let it flow.”

He nodded. Okay, that was a good conundrum. “Well, what does your gut tell you?”

“To push it,” she answered simply.

He nodded, swallowing. “How about your heart?”

“To wait it out,” she said softly as a woman who would be about their mother's age attempted to belt out a Pat Benetar song. “But I think that's because I'm scared.”

“Of what?” he asked.

“My powers hurting him.”

He looked at her a little confused. She released long and deep breath. “I keep having this reoccurring nightmare-daydream that we're in the moment and it's going well—which by the way I think sex with him will be amazing—but then something happens with my powers.”

He snickered and then choked when he realized she was being serious. “Gracie, I don't think--”

“Don't!” she exclaimed quietly. “This is serious, Barry! Like the one last night we were in the moment and I set him on fire.”

He coughed as shock set in. “Really?”

“And it started down there,” she motioned downward. “First.”

“Oh, so you were.....?”

She nodded. He winced and instinctively crossed his legs to protect himself. “I'm just afraid if we do have sex—which I want to, more than you know—it could end badly for him, which could end badly for me, because I think I might be falling in love with him.” She sighed and put her elbow on the table, along with her chin on her hand. “Remember before my emotional lecture—which is what I'm calling it—you had asked me what's one downside to my powers that I hate and I never answered?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“It's that I will never be able to be intimately connected to another human being again. I can connect with someone on a friendship level, or an emotional level, but what if I can never connect with someone intimately ever again?”

He really didn't know how to answer that. How should he answer that? He didn't know much about her powers. However, she did know everything about his....maybe it was time that he learned everything she can do and whether it's ever going to deter her from having a family and someone who loves her? He smiled sympathetically and said, “I wish I could answer that, Gracie, but I can't.”

“I know. It feels good to just say it though.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “That's what I'm here for, Kiddo. Wanna get out of here and stay at my place? We can binge watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. On Netflix.”

She smiled. “That sounds great. Wanna pick up a pizza on the way?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Let's go.”

The siblings left, headed to Barry's place. He honestly believed they were starting to be right where they were before his accident. Hopefully it didn't take much longer.....


	9. Plastique

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry gives Grace a 'job' on the team. 
> 
> They meet a new Meta-human who can blow things up and Grace's nightmares have come true.
> 
> And Dr. Wells takes a glimpse into the future....The Ramon Future

Neither Barry nor Grace spoke of her fear after that night. Barry didn't know what to say but he had started to learn about what her powers could do. And they were incredible. He knew they would definitely be useful in the field. If only he could convince her to come back to the team.

It'd been about 2 ½ weeks since her 'emotional lecture' as she was calling it and while he and Grace were getting closer, the Team and Grace weren't. It was really starting to bug him because he wanted his sister to be a part of it. He needed his sister to be a part of it.

Although since their sibling date night as they called it he and Grace were closer than ever. Besides learning about her powers he was also learning what she was good at and then placing her at certain spots on the team. He'd placed her as the psychologist for all of them. Then, the computer based tech and several others.

Now, Grace, Iris and Barry were in a bar with Cisco, Caitlin and Eddie. And they were having a great time. Still, he was seeing what Grace had realized, because they'd done it about 3 times since they were here. They'd kiss or do something flirty and then they'd be back to being friends again. He could tell it was frustrating Grace badly.

She walked to where he stood and flopped elbow on the bar, then put her head in her palm. “I don't know what to do, Barry.”

He smiled softly, but sympathetically. “I see what you were talking about though.”

She nodded. She turned her head to look at him. “Do you think he's afraid of something?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Iris had mentioned it and now it's bugging me. She had asked me 'do you think something could have happened in his other relationships that has made him afraid now?' and I didn't know how to answer.”

“Well do you know his history?”

She nodded. “He's told me.” She looked at him and said, “He's never had a relationship last that long. He either totally nerded out, or there was school or work.”

“And you and him have been friends-seeing each other for what, going on ten months?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Yep, that was it. That was why he'd run hot and then simmer down. Grace was his longest relationship and if Barry had to guess he didn't want to do something to mess it up. To change the subject he segwayed with, “How often do you think about why your friends came into your life? Was it random, by design, or maybe a little of both?”

“Um....I hadn't really thought about it, actually. Some of them were random and others a little bit of both.”

He smiled. “Regardless of the reason, some friends you just know are gonna be by your side for a while.” He smiled and pointed at Caitlin and Cisco. “Like those two.” His eyes moved to Iris and Eddie. “Others, you're not so sure.”

She smiled and looked at Iris, then up at her brother. “And then there's that one friend who you hope, someday becomes something more.”

He nodded. This was a game that they'd play as kids. It was their version of 'Finish my Sentence'. This time it was finish my thought.

Barry leaned in and said, “But “friend” will have to do for now. And that's okay.”

“Is it really, Barry?”

Iris approached and smiled at them both. “I'm so glad you two are friends again.”

Barry smiled. “You should know by now, Iris, that Gracie and I can't stay mad or upset with each other for long.”

She nodded. “I'm glad you invited Caitlin and Cisco.”

“They're cool, right?” He smiled.

“They saved your life, Barry. That makes them the coolest people I've ever met.” She smiled at Grace. “And I finally get to see Cisco in a social environment.”

Grace nodded. She knew what Iris was getting at and if it kept going like this Cisco and her wouldn't be romantically involved. How someone could be okay with being hot and cold with someone they cared about was beyond her.

Iris smiled. “It's nice that you guys became friends. To friends, old and new.”

They took a shot together and Iris winced as hers slid down. “Ooh.” She sat the glass down and said, “I'm up.” She playfully punched Barry and started walking off. “Wish me luck.”

Grace and Barry approached Caitlin and Cisco's table. Caitlin was watching Eddie while Cisco seemed to be eagle-eying him. Barry placed a tray of shots on the table, while Grace leaned on it, Cisco looked down at her glass. “What are you drinking?”

“Whiskey,” she answered simply.

“Why?”

She shrugged and winced slightly as she swallowed.

Barry looked at his friend. “She drinks whiskey when she has a lot on her mind.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes going back to Eddie.

“Guys? I have a problem.”

“We all do when guys like him exist.”

“Yeah, he's so hot. Uh, I mean, genetically speaking. Because I'm a geneticist, of course. Oh, my God, do I sound like Felicity?”

Grace snickered. Caitlin looked at her. “Do you think he's hot?”

She shrugged. “He's okay, I guess. I swore off the blond haired, blue eyed, jock types in high school. And now I can honestly say I'm not attracted to them at all.”

“So you're not attracted to Eddie at all?”

She shook her head. “Nope. He's my sister's boyfriend. So...he can be a close friend, but nothing romantic will ever happen.

“I'm not talking about Eddie. I'm talking about this. I can't feel anything.”

Cisco smirked. “Yeah, that's usually what happens when you drink too much.”

Grace snickered.

“No, the alcohol is not affecting me. I mean I literally feel nothing.”

“Really?” Grace asked.

“It's your hyper-metabolism,” Caitlin said a little too excited. “I need a sample.” She dove for her purse.

Cisco stood and said, “I'll get more shots.”

“I swear, I had a Vacutainer here,” Caitlin said as she pawed through her purse.

“Wait, you carry a blood collection kit in your purse?”

“You have your hobbies.”

“Yeah, but mine isn't stashed away in my purse.”

As they tested Barry's inability to get drunk, and right before it was his turn, Eddie got called away on a bombing at 8th and Pass. Everyone quickly broke up. While Cisco, Caitlin and Grace stuck around to listen for Barry. He got to the building and looked up. He tapped his head comm. “Gracie.”

“What?”

“I need you.”

“For what?”

“To put out a fire.”

“Is there water near by?”

He smirked. “You don't need power and you know it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just get down here.”

“Be there in a few,” she said and added, “But this does not mean I'm a part of the team again.”

She flew off and changed quickly and then flew to the building. She landed next to Barry as he said, “....and he's gonna fall.”

“Don't try and catch him. You don't have super strength,” Cisco told him.

“Well, is there, like, a bed store near here? What if I get a bunch of mattresses and stack them?”

“Barry, this isn't a roadrunner cartoon.”

“And on that Looney Tunes reference, I'm going up.”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“You can inhale fire, right?”

“Well, in theory, yes, but I've never actually tried it, Barry.”

“I'm not seeing a water source and blowing air on it may make it stronger.”

She nodded. “I'll figure something out.” She pushed up and launched into the air. She flew to where the fire was billowing out of the window. She looked around below but didn't see any water. Taking the lesser of the 2 evils, Grace took a deep breath and blew it out hard. She watched as the smoke billowed instead of the fire and knew it was working, but not fast enough. And she knew if they didn't act fast it may take the firefighters longer to get up here so biting the bullet she went closer and instead of exhaling out, she inhaled.

From the ground Barry watched as the fire streamed out and went into Grace's mouth. He watched as she held it in and then flew off somewhere. He tapped his ear comm and said, “Cisco, try to contact Grace, please?”

“I thought she was there with you.”

“She is, but, uh....she just did something new with her powers and then flew off. Please make sure she's okay, I'm going go save a window washer.”

After Barry saved the window washer he realized that Iris had seen it all and was about to see his face, so disguised it by moving fast. He smiled at her and then took off. He got out of sight and asked, “Did you find her?”

“Yeah, we found her. It says she's in the middle of the bay, Barry.”

“Wha—what? Why?”

“I don't know.”

He took off for the bay and looked around from the shore. “Grace!”

He looked and saw what looked like a body bobbing up, then he realized it was her head. He started coming toward her, but stopped as she started walking on the water. He waited until she was on the shore and then said, “You okay?”

She shook her head. He knelt down as she sat. “What's wrong?”

She tapped her throat and then winced. He nodded. “Okay. Let's get back to the Lab and Cisco and Caitlin can take a look at you.”

She nodded. He said to the scientists, “I'm taking her to the lab. She got hurt. Meet me there.”

He stood and helped her to her feet. “Hold on, Gracie.”

She put a hand on his shoulder and he put an arm around her waist and he sped off. He got to S.T.A.R. Labs seconds later and he laid her on the bed he usually laid on. He looked down at her. He hated seeing her hurt. He hated feeling helpless more. “Anything I can do?”

She shook her head but then signaled for a drink. He nodded. “Water?”

She nodded. He smiled and kissed her forehead. He sped off and got a couple bottles of water and came back just as Cisco and Caitlin showed up. They started bombarding her with questions and she shook her head. She knew she couldn't talk because she had tried when she heard Cisco talking to her before she hit the water, but she didn't know how to convey that to them. She then turned Barry around and snatched his cell phone. She typed a group message to them: **Fried vocal chords. Can't talk. Find me something to write on. My phone's shot.**

Cisco smiled and said as Caitlin got a dry erase board and marker, “Gotta come up with a waterproof pouch, huh?”

She nodded.

“What did you do to fry your vocal chords, Grace?” Caitlin asked.

Grace gently took the board and pen from her friend and wrote out in her handwriting: _Inhaled the fire, kept it inside until I got to the water and then put it out and myself. Now vocal chords are shot._

“Why would you inhale the fire?” Cisco asked. “We haven't even tested it yet, because you're afraid to.”

_I HAD TO! The firefighters wouldn't have been able to get up there in time and that building is important to Central City. It's got a lot of lucrative businesses inside of it. A lot of people would be out of jobs if I didn't._

Barry looked at her. “Gracie, we're not angry. We're concerned. This is something you've never done before so we don't know what it would have done to you internally.”

She nodded. _I know. Which is why I was in the water for awhile, but honestly that water's gross down there. I literally saw a fish head, man. A FISH HEAD._

Barry and the others laughed. “Well, since you're here, I was talking it over with Cisco and um, he agreed. How do you feel about being our software developer?”

_What do you mean?_

Well, the other night when we were talking I had asked you about your computer sciences degree, remember?”

_I remember. What about it? I already told you guys that I wouldn't be a part of this unless you saw me as an equal and not 'Barry's sister' or 'Cisco's girlfriend'. And what I did tonight probably won't happen again for awhile because I don't like not being able to talk. THIS REALLY SUCKS!!!!_

They laughed softly. Barry kissed her forehead. “I know, Kiddo and that's why I talked to Cisco.”

“Grace, you know the areas I'm good at. I build the toys--”

She quickly wrote out, _Yes, but part of building those toys is programming them, so why would you need me?_

“Because you're better at it than me. Come on, Gracie, you reprogrammed your building's entire A/C thing.”

_It was the central air controls._

“Exactly.” He looked into her big blue eyes. “You know I'm not good at admitting that I can't do something, so give me some credit here for this. You're way better at that stuff than me.”

She kept her eyes on Cisco as Barry spoke, “How about this, what if we tried it out for awhile and if you feel like we're still treating you the same way then we won't push it again, okay?”

She slowly turned her eyes to her brother. _Guys, you know it's not because I don't want to be here. I LOVE hanging out with you guys. And I LOVED beyond words helping you, Barry, but I considered all of you friends and to find out that you didn't see me that way. I mean, hell, Caitlin would probably have a heart attack if I was to step over to one of the computers now and tried to do something with it. Oh, Cisco, remind me to tell you later about that new processing unit I took pictures of at the Tech fair._

“Please, Grace, it's not the same here without you here,” Barry told her. “Just think about it okay?”

She nodded and mouthed, 'Promise' before picking up her water and guzzling it. She then picked up her pad of paper and wrote: _Can you check me out? My throat is very sensitive to touch right now._

Caitlin smiled. “Of course.”

* * *

 

The next morning, Grace texted in a sick day and went to the Lab to see if Caitlin could help her. Her throat felt a little bit better. It wasn't on fire anymore which was an improvement, but she had woken up from one of her nightmares about being intimate with Cisco and gasped. Now the burning was back, but in a different way.

At CCPD, the Army was there to take over the case and wanted everything they got at the crime scene. Barry quickly snatched a file from the box before they left and then let them go with the rest of it. Joe looked at him and said, “You and a few civilians from S.T.A.R. Labs might want to check into that.”

“I think we might. Oh, did you at all try to get a hold of Grace today?”

“Earlier, but she didn't answer.”

“Because she can't. Last night at the bombing, she inhaled the fire--”

“What?!”

“Let me finish. She inhaled the fire and fired her vocal chords. She can't talk right now. Thankfully for her water's healing so she should be okay in a day or so, but if you want to talk to her, text her.”

He nodded. “Okay. Why in the hell would you let her do that?!”

“We had to do something. The firefighters weren't going to get there in time and according to Grace that building's important to the city. It has a lot of important businesses inside of it.”

He nodded. “It does and it is, but not at the expense of your sister's life, Barry.”

He smiled. “The fire can't kill her,” he reassured Joe.

“You know that for sure?”

Barry nodded. “Cisco and Caitlin do. They tested her pain tolerance to fire. And the only reason why it hurt her this time is because it was internal, but externally—according to Cisco—she can withstand heat up to about a thousand degrees I think. Don't quote me.”

“Wow,” Joe muttered. “How do you know this?”

“Because I've been learning about her powers.” He exhaled. “A part of us not talking was because I was treating her like my kid sister and not a partner. Well, I figured the only way to start thinking of her like a partner was to learn about what she was capable of so that's what I'm doing.” He sighed softly. “I better go.”

* * *

 

“Oh, Grace,” Caitlin said. “I found this type and speak program. It's very primitive, but, uh...it might help with the whole writing to tell us what you think. This way you can type into the computer and it'll speak what you type.”

Grace smiled. That had to be the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for her before. She mouthed, 'Thank you' and walked over to the computers. She motioned to which one and Caitlin smiled. “The one in the middle.”

She nodded. She typed into it and the computerized voice said, “Has anyone ever figured out the smell in here or is that one of my enhanced senses?”

Cisco smirked. “Much better. However, I've noticed it too. I talked to Wells about it and he told me it was probably residual smell from the explosion.”

“After ten months?” came a digitized voice. Cisco shrugged.

Barry walked in as he said, “Hey, guys, I got a new....case.” His words faltered when he saw Grace. “Hey! I didn't expect to see you here!”

She smiled and then turned to the computer and typed something in and the digitized voice said: “Texted in sick. If I can't talk I can't work. Talking's a part of the job. However, I no longer have to write everything down. I just type it into the computer or use text.”

He laughed, happily. “Well, that's good. I think I got something you can help us with.”

“What?” the voice asked.

“That bombing. A woman with red hair was seen at the scene and she took this file.”

Cisco took the file and looked at it. “A VA file number is all the info you have on the bomber?”

“C.C.P.D's been ordered off the case.”

“Well, who has the power to do that?” Caitlin asked walking back over to them.

“The army. Some General. His name was Eiling, I think.”

“General Wade Eiling,” Harrison said wheeling into the room.

“You know him?” Barry asked.

“Yeah, I know him. About ten years ago, General Wade Eiling contracted S.T.A.R. Labs to develop enhanced gene therapies for soldiers. I was interested in the potential medical benefits for civilians. General Eiling really wanted to develop mind reading capabilities for interrogation purposes. I stopped the study when I saw his techniques up close, but our split was less than amicable.”

“He took all the evidence I collected on the bombing. Everything but the folder.” He handed it to Harrison.

Cisco turned in his chair. “Well... Lucky for us, the va finally joined the new millennium and digitized their records. A lot of redacted info. But our girl's name is Bette Sans Souci, an EOD specialist for the army.”

“EOD?” Caitlin asked.

“Bombs,” Cisco answered as Grace motioned.

“Is there an address?”

“Hold on. Here, we go. One person in case of emergency. Cameron Scott. Inglewood.”

Barry started off and Grace waved her hands. He stopped and smiled. “We really need to get your voice back.”

She rolled her eyes as if to say, “Tell me about it”.

“What?” he asked.

She quickly typed into the computer and the voice said, “If you wanna know what the file says I have a way of pulling up the redacted information.”

“How?” Cisco, Caitlin and Barry asked in unison.

She smiled. “You mean I know something you don't?”

They all smiled. “Don't enjoy that too much, Gracie,” Barry told her. “How can you do that?”

She quickly typed in and pressed enter: “There's a program that they use at the paper—well, I should say that Mason uses it—it's how he gets his 'privileged information' anyway—um, I swiped it, made a copy, installed it into my laptop and made a copy in case it would be something useful to use here.”

He smiled. “You're the best, Kiddo. Do it. Take whatever time you need.”

She shrugged and then smiled. He left to get Bette.

* * *

 

Awhile later, Barry breezed into the building in just his boxer briefs, then disappeared into another room. He came out wearing a pair of sweatpants and putting on a S.T.A.R. Labs t-shirt. Caitlin looked perplexed, Grace looked confused and Cisco looked perturbed. “Uh....”

“Don't ask.”

“I'm gonna ask. Where's my suit?”

Grace slapped his chest.

Barry hung his head. “It's... Gone.”

“What do you mean, it's gone? What did you do with my suit?”

“It blew up, dude. I managed to get out of it before it went, “kaboom.””

Grace gasped as Cisco asked, “My suit went “kaboom”?”

“Fun fact about Bette Sans Souci. She's not carrying bombs. She touched the emblem on the suit and turned it into a bomb. She's a meta-human.”

“With the ability to cause spontaneous combustion upon tactile contact,” Wells said.

“She blew up my suit.” He was angry.

“You have, like, three more,” Caitlin pointed out.

“Okay, I have two. And I loved that one.”

Grace rolled her eyes, kissed his cheek and walked to her brother. She mouthed, “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I'm fine. Thank you for asking.” He looked at the rest of the team. “All right, what else do we know about her?”

Grace shook her head and then typed, “Nothing to report that we don't already know. I'm still using the program. Once I have something you will.”

He smiled. “I love you.”

She smiled.

“She's pure evil,” Cisco said as he searched through his information. “We're gonna find this girl and send her butt into the pipeline. No one blows my tech to smithereens and gets away with it...” he saw a picture of her and muttered, “...unless she looks like that.”

“Cisco,” Both Barry and Caitlin muttered.

Cisco looked at Grace. “Sorry--”

She shook her head. She picked up her laptop and walked out of the room. Barry sighed and hung his head. Cisco shrugged. “It just came out. I've never known her to be that sensitive.”

“That was before you went all hot and cold her on, dude,” Barry muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“One minute you're acting like a couple and then the next you're backing off like she has the plague.” Barry sighed. “My sister's very secure in who she is unless she has no idea where she stands then that's where you see her insecurities.” He rubbed his neck. “Like two weeks ago when she told us what was on her chest. She wouldn't have felt that way if we had confirmed where she stood within this team.” He looked at Cisco. “You need to tell her where she stands with you. If you're doing the whole couple thing to not hurt her feelings then you need to stop. If you actually want to be a couple then you need to talk to her and really talk to her. Tell her everything, but she needs to know where she stands with you.”

Cisco nodded. “Okay.”

“Should...we go talk to her?” Caitlin asked.

“No,” Barry answered. “She won't talk to either of us right now anyway. Just leave her be and she'll come find one of us.” He looked at Caitlin and Wells, while Cisco drooled over Bette. “I don't think she meant to hurt me.”

“Well, her being a meta-human explains General Eiling's interest in her,” Wells replied.

“And why he stole the case from us,” Joe said walking in. He didn't want anyone to know what she could do.”

Wells turned to him. “Detective.”

“Doctor. So... Human bomb. Must be Tuesday in Central City.” Barry snickered. Joe looked at him. “Where's your sister?”

“She's put herself into isolation because _**someone**_ went all male and commented how hot Bette looked,” Caitlin recited.

Barry nodded. “What Caitlin said.”

Joe looked down at Cisco and cringed, slinking into his seat. “It just happened.”

“Barry!”

Barry turned at the sound of the wheezy voice. “What's the matter?”

She walked over to the computers and stopped. She looked down at Cisco and then typed out on her phone, and the digitized voice said, “If you're gonna drool all over another girl could you not do it where my program's in the middle computer, please?”

He moved over and said, “Grace, I'm--”

“I don't want to hear the I'm sorry, Cisco. I'm helluva lot more secure than that.” She looked up at Barry and then typed into her phone, “The army's running tests on humans.”

“We know that,” Caitlin said.

“But their extremely inhumane,” the digitized voice said. She waved Barry over and then typed into her phone. “Gather. You see this right here. The program is still trying to clean it up, but I can make it out. Bette was put through some brutal treatment.”

“Like what?”

“Testing her psychological tolerance for one,” she said. “I'll know more when the program finishes cleaning.”

He nodded. Joe walked up to her and kissed the top of her head. “Did you make this?”

She shook her head. “No, Sir, if I made it it'd run more smoothly and it wouldn't take this long.” She turned to face him. “But that's not a bad idea, dad.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Are you drinking water?”

She nodded. He smiled. “Good. I wanna hear that pretty voice of yours by tomorrow.”

“I'm working on it, dad.”

“General Eiling's not one to give up a potential asset without a fight.”

“We have to find her before he does.”

Joe looked at him. “Barry? Can I see you for a second?”

He nodded and they stepped out. Cisco sighed and looked at her. “Are you going to give me the silent treatment this whole time?”

Her brow furrowed and she picked up her phone and he stopped her. “You know what I mean. You can talk about anything with me and you have said it many times before, I know you better than anyone. I know when something else is bothering you. And it's not the fact that I commented on another girl. So, you want to tell me what it is?”

She sighed and walked into the other room, motioning for him to follow her. She clicked away on her phone keyboard and then pressed send. The digitized voice said, “We've been going on these dates and I'm having lots of fun with you. I see us being together, but then....”

“Then I pull away and act like your best friend again.”

She nodded.

He walked her over to the bed and sat her down. “Gracie, you remember when I told you about my other relationships, right?”

She nodded.

“Well, you're my longest one and we haven't even been going out for most of it.” He sighed. “I enjoy being with you. I really, really like you. I could actually see myself falling for you, but I'm afraid I'll do or say something, or something here with what we do will tear us apart...and I'm afraid to lose my best friend.”

She smiled and leaned up and kissed his lips. He jerked back. “Your lips are really warm.”

She exhaled. And started typing then she pressed send: “Then it comes to my problem. I enjoy kissing you a lot and I want to go further, but I'm scared. Scared because of dreams I've been having.”

“What kind of dreams?” he coaxed gently.

“Intimate dreams.” She exhaled and typed again. “We're in the moment. Everything feels amazing and then I.... _ **do**_ something to you.”

“What?”

“Well, it's all different. First was literally pushing you off of me and you hit the wall. Then we were in the moment and I was going to give you a blow job and I.....”

“What?”

“I set you on fire.” She sighed and typed, then pressed send. “I'm afraid of my own powers when it comes to an intimate act with you. I want to more than you know. I at least want to make out with you, but I'm afraid of hurting you. Breaking every bone in your body or setting you on fire because I lose my concentration and my powers get away from me.” She looked up at him, tears in her eyes and then pressed send on the last of her speech. “What if I can never....? What if we can never....? What if I will never be able to be intimate with anyone ever again?”

Not knowing what else to do, Cisco came to her and pulled her into his arms. She crawled onto his lap like she always did and he held on. He smoothed her hair out as he soothed her and she cried. “We'll figure it out, okay? I promise. And I'm not going anywhere, okay? We'll figure it out together.”

She pulled back and looked into his dark eyes and knew he was telling the truth. She smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Thank you,” she said hoarsely.

“For what?”

“Being here,” she mouthed. She smiled into his face and pressed send as the voice said, “And as for your fear as long as we know what we are to each other nothing or anyone—not even you—can tear us apart, Cisco.”

He smiled and took her mouth in one quick motion. After a few seconds she quickly pulled back. “Hot,” she mouthed.

He smiled and said softly, “I'll brave it.” He pulled her down to meet his lips again.

She dropped her hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him deepen the kiss even more. She whimpered when he licked at her top lip and then pushed his tongue inside. Their tongues tangled. Raw, wild need passed between them. The familiar taste of her exploded in his mouth and he practically growled. He dropped his hands to her rib cage and pulled her closer.

She pushed his shirt up and began touching his skin. As the kiss continued, Cisco could feel the warmth of her fingertips on him and enjoyed himself as they kissed. Then he felt the intense heat and jerked. “Ouch!”

She jerked back immediately and crawled off of him. She held her hands to her mouth. Cisco saw tears well up in her eyes and he sighed. Her biggest fear just came true. She'd hurt him. He stood and walked to her. She quickly moved back. She shook her head, her chin quivering. “No,” she whispered hoarsely. “I can't....” she sped off.

Everyone felt the building rumble and came to check on Cisco. He looked at his abs in the mirror and sighed when he seen the red mark. It looked like when you'd burn yourself while cooking.

“Oh, my God....what happened?”

Cisco turned and saw the look in Barry's eyes. He knew. He shook his head. “It's nothing.”

“Nothing!” Caitlin said. “Did Grace do this?”

“She didn't mean to,” he said softly, his heart aching not only for him but for her. If he knew Grace as well as he thought he did he knew that she'd walk away now and truthfully he didn't want her to go.

“Things got heated, huh?” Barry asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. And her biggest fear came true. For a split second she lost control and....”

Barry swore. “Damn it! Now she's definitely going to believe that she _**can't**_ be with anyone like that.”

Joe looked at Cisco and then at the rest of them. “What do we do? I mean, she might not even want to be around us in fear that she'd hurt us. So, what do we do?”

Wells exhaled. “I....don't....know.”

Joe glared at everyone of them. “Well, figure it out! I refuse to lose my daughter over this.”

* * *

 

Per the request of Joe Barry attempted to talk Iris out of blogging about the Streak, but it didn't work. He turned to see Grace standing there, she looked sad, devastated actually. He smiled. “Hi, Sweetheart.”

She smiled. He smiled softly. “Gracie,” he attempted to brush a strand of hair out of her face, but she backed away. “Grace--”

“No, Barry, you can't touch me. I'll....I'll hurt you.”

“Gracie....”

She shook her head. She turned the volume down on her phone before she typed. “Don't try to make me feel better, okay? This is exactly what I was afraid of and guess what? It's true!” She wiped her tears. “I can't.... _**be** _with someone, Barry. Which you know what that means. If I can't be with someone. I can't have kids. And even if I did adopt them or whatever, could I actually touch them without being thrown in jail for abusing my child?”

He exhaled and pulled her forcefully into a hug. She stiffened against him and he said in his big brother tone, “Hug me, Grace.”

After a few seconds she wrapped her arms around him and he bent his head down and whispered, “We're going to figure this out, okay?”

He heard a sob escape and tears pricked his eyes that time. “I promise. We'll figure it out, Gracie.”

She sighed and wiped her tears. He kissed her cheek, squeezed her fingers and then beelined it out of the place when his phone buzzed. She smiled and then walked up to the counter to order. Iris turned and smiled. “Hey! Haven't seen you in here all day. How's your day going?”

She pressed send on the app and it said, “Not well. I have laryngitis and I can't talk, per orders of the doctor.”

“Really? That's weird. You were talking just fine last night.”

She nodded. “Slight sore throat, but I thought it was a cold so I didn't do anything more. Then I woke up this morning and couldn't talk. So, now, thanks to Caitlin I have this niffty app that will talk for me.”

Iris laughed softly. “What can I get you?”

“Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino.”

She smiled. “You got it.” She looked over her shoulder. “Your conversation with Barry looked pretty intense.”

Grace nodded and the voice said, “Yeah. I was venting my frustrations about not being able to talk to him.”

She put the lid on and took her money. “So, did you hear what he's trying to get me to stop?”

She nodded. “Yeah. And may I say something and if you disagree and still want to then I will shut up, okay?”

She nodded.

“Have you ever thought that you could be putting The Streak and that thing that flies in danger if you let everyone know that they exist?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you've seen all the superhero shows. What usually happens when the bad guys or even regular people find out they exist?”

Iris sighed.

“Right. The bad guys want them gone and the others want to find them.” She smiled and then the voice said, “Just think about it, okay?”

She nodded. “I will, I promise.”

* * *

“Get a hold of Grace tell her to meet me. I'm gonna need her help.”

“I sent her a text. She said she'd be there.”

When Barry got there, a few seconds later, Grace got there. She pointed to Bette, but a shot rang out and hit Bette in the shoulder. She then motioned for him to get Bette out. She'll take care of the soldiers. She saw the flash gerenade come through the window and stomped her foot in an attempt to tell him to hurry. He picked her up and sped off.

While Grace faced down the soldiers. They started firing on her, and she used her hands and brought up a force field quickly and then flew off.

* * *

 

By the time Grace got back Wells was explaining to Bette what had happened to her. Bette looked at her. “Who's that?”

“This is my sister, Grace. Grace, meet Bette Sans Souci.”

Grace waved at her. Bette looked at them. “Can she talk?”

“Not right now,” Cisco replied. “Um...”

Barry smiled. “She's been sick. She lost her voice and we're just waiting for it to come back.”

Bette gave her an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry.”

The digitized voice said, “Don't be. It's all good.” She glanced at Cisco and then looked down.

“I thought Eiling did this to me.”

“Eiling is not smart enough to create someone like you. Clever enough to see your value.”

“Do you know of any others who were changed?”

“There've been a few.”

“But no one that looks like you. I'm sorry. That was inappropriate. Please don't leave.”

Caitlin leaned forward. “I know how to perform a lobotomy.”

“You know that shot with my sister is slipping further and further away there buddy.”

Cisco glanced at her and she walked over to him and whispered, “It's okay. It's not like we could ever be a _**real** _couple.” Her voice hitched. “I'm sorry I hurt you.”

He looked over his shoulder at her. “It's okay. I'll be alright.”

* * *

 

“Her cellular structure's unlike anything I've ever seen,” Wells said softly.

“Her nitrogen levels are off the charts.”

“Do you think we can help her?”

“To answer that question, we have to understand how she works, and to understand that, first we have to study her in action.”

“You want her to blow stuff up. Yes, now we're talking.”

“Not in here. She's too unstable.”

“I know.”

“I know you know.”

Grace heard the beeping. “Guys!” she said hoarsely.

Wells looked at the security footage. “Lock down the pipeline. Get Bette out of here. I'll take care of Eiling.”

* * *

 

Despite Barry and Grace's best efforts, Iris decided to continue to post about the Streak and the UFO as everyone was calling her, but this time she signed her name to the blog. Grace walked up to her brother and without thinking touched his arm. She immediately jerked back.

He snatched her hand and held it. “What?”

She typed it into her phone. “Maybe you or both of us should visit her. You know, dressed up as the alter-egos.”

He smiled. “That might work. However, um....you may want to stay behind. If she realizes you can't talk it may be a huge red flag since she knows you can't speak right now.”

She nodded. He kissed her cheek. He jerked back and she sighed. “I know, I'm hot, okay?”

“No, no, no! Gracie, you're not.”

“What?” she said a little less hoarse.

“Your face isn't hot. After the fire and I kissed your cheek or your head or whatever you ran really hot. But now you're....normal.”

“What?” she said.

“Cisco!” Barry called to him.

He rushed over with Caitlin. “What?”

“Do you think it's possible because she inhaled the fire that her body temperature stayed that hot until her body could extinguish it?”

Caitlin nodded. “It's entirely possible. Your powers could have taken on the element that you most used in the moment to keep you alive.”

She quickly typed and then pressed send. “So you mean like if I froze something I'd be cold to the touch?”

“Exactly,” Caitlin said. “It's in our makeups to have our body adapt to changes.” She smiled. “You may not have to worry about not being able to touch someone.”

Her heart fell. Could she take that chance?

* * *

 

That night, the Streak breezed into Jitters and Iris gasped in shock and amazement. “Oh, my God, it's you.”

“Iris West, I hear you've been writing about me.”

“You are real. I should, um... let me just clean up...”

“Meet me on the roof. I'll give you a head start.” He winked at her.

“I need you to stop writing about us.”

“My sister and I.”

“The flying object? That's your sister?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“There are a lot of people who need someone like you right now. To know that you're out there. I have so many questions. Where are you from?”

He buzzed past her. “I can't say.”

“Who are you?”

“I can't tell you that, either.”

“How can you do what you do?”

This time he didn't say anything.

“You're a terrible interview.”

“There's more to this than you can understand. Just trust me, please. I need you to stop.”

“Can you stop? Running into buildings and rescuing people without them even knowing that you're there?”

“I don't do this for the glory.”

He moved behind her, but this time she didn't face him. “So why do you? Look, I have this friend, well, two friends. And they had something terrible happen to them when they were kids. Of course, his sister didn't see it, but his whole life, he's been telling stories about this impossible thing. And people laughed at him. And shrinks analyzed him. And he's been searching for an explanation ever since. But now, suddenly, it's like he's lost his faith.” She turned to face him and he quickly disguised himself. “But you... you are proof that he wasn't crazy. Help me save my friend.”

“He's a lucky guy.”

* * *

 

They discovered that the shrapnel in Bette's body has merged with her on a cellular level and there was nothing they could do. He mentions putting her on the team and Caitlin reminded him that he can help people, but she can't. She blows things up. Grace stepped forward and said barely above a whisper, “Barry--”

“Hey! Your voice is coming back.”

She smiled. “It is. I would LOVE to help her, probably because I know how she feels more than anyone, but they're right. It's too dangerous. It'd be exposing everyone. Us mostly. I won't do well as lab rat. I don't even like it when they poke and prod me. And they're friends.”

He laughed. She put her hand in his and said, “Let's get out of here. I'm craving jalapeno and olive pizza.”

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Bye, guys.”

She stopped and turned to Cisco and walked to him. “Forgive me?”

He smiled. “Already forgotten,” he said and kissed her. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip. “That's what I remember.”

“What?”

“Your lips are back to normal.”

She smiled. “Um....about that. I don't know if--”

“Grace, I told you I wasn't going anywhere. It might take longer but I'm willing to wait until you know you won't blow me up.”

She laughed and hugged him. “I'll call you later.”

* * *

 

Barry and Grace laughed as they walked into his lab to see Joe sitting on his desk looking at a file. “Joe. What are you doing here?”

“Going over the materials in your mom's case. How's it going with you?”

Barry smiled. “You go first, Gracie.”

She smiled. “My day went pretty well,” she said. Her voice cracked a little, but he could hear it.

He smiled. “You're back!” He started moving toward her to hug her, but stopped.

She then lunged into his arms, holding on. He held on tight. “Mmm. And to think I thought these would end.”

She shook her head. “Barry thinks he has a theory as to why I was so hot.”

“Which is?” Joe asked looking at them both.

“Because she inhaled the fire her body adapted and kept her hot to keep her alive. Once it cooled down and was out of her system her body temperature went back to normal.”

He smiled. “Good. That's great. So, why did it happen?”

“Because when I inhaled the fire, my new meta-body altered to what was invading it's system and adapted accordingly.”

“Good,” he said. He looked at Barry. “What about you?”

“Stellar... I made friends with a human bomb who I promised I could help, and then, I couldn't. And I finally diagnosed why Iris is writing about the streak.”

Joe gave him an 'oh, yeah, why,” look.

“She's doing it for me. To prove the impossible is possible.”

He looked confused. “How do you know that?”

“The streak may have talked to her. Barry, don't you think Iris would recognize your voice?”

“No, I can do this cool thing with my vocal cords, where I vibrate them so I sound like this.”

Joe laughed, impressed. “Whoa!”

“I know. It's cool, it's cool.”

“Whoa. Well, you put that out there now, so. I want to keep her safe.”

“You know the only real way to get her to stop is to tell her the truth.”

“Man, you really want to tell her.”

“I tell her everything.”

“Mm... Not everything,” Joe said as Grace shook her head.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Not to her.”

“But how long have you known for?”

“I have watched you be in love with Iris since you were old enough to know what love is. And I've been waiting years for you to tell her. But you haven't.”

“Guess I was too slow. Now, she's happy and with someone else, so...”

“When the universe wants to make something happen, whether it be giving a young man lighting speed or putting two people together, it has a way of figuring those things out.”

“Just like I gotta figure out why I was given my powers if I can't ever touch someone romantically.” She since the grimace on Joe's face and she laughed. “I was being tactful, dad.”

“I know,” he nodded. “Do you still think you can't?”

“I burnt someone today, dad. I mean, it wasn't bad because I had the presence of mind to hear him when he said ouch, but what if we're in the moment and something like that happens again? Will I be so consumed....that I won't be able to stop? I mean if these powers react to my body, then what do you think will happen if I get all hot and bothered?”

“Good point.”

“And sex is no fun if you have to shut yourself from feeling,” she added and Joe groaned and grimaced. She snickered. “Sorry.”

“It's okay, Sweetheart. I'm glad you feel comfortable talking to me about this. Even if I hate it.”

She laughed. “It's not like I have anyone else. I can't talk to Cisco right now because I feel like crap for hurting him and Doctor Wells sometimes knows me too well and he doesn't actually know me. Caitlin—I don't know.”

He kissed her temple. “We'll figure it out, Gracie. If I know your brother he's already got an idea.”

Barry just hoped he didn't have to use it.

* * *

 

Wells waited until everyone was gone before going to his time capsule room. He wheeled inside and then stood. They'd taken down Eiling, with Bette's help, however Bette was killed in the process. However, they discovered that Barry could run on water. He activated Gideon and she said, “Good evening, Dr. Wells.”

“Good evening, Gideon. I need some information on Grace Allen-Ramon's powers please.”

“ _Grace Allen-Ramon can control all the elements and sub-elements of the earth_. From the earth itself to air and everything in between.”

“Is there any mention of tactile limitations to those powers?”

“ _If she's used one specific element too long or used it suddenly for defense she can take on those elements for awhile. For example: If she used her fire absorption to put out a fire she will take on that element for however long it takes her body to adapt to it_.”

“But it won't affect her ability, to say....procreate with Mr. Ramon?”

“ _Francisco and Grace Allen-Ramon have four children. There is no indication of her powers affecting her fertility, Doctor. Then or now_.”

“Thank you, Gideon. Bring up the Central City Picture News Paper from August 7, 2016.”

**Former Staffer Marries Long Time Love!**

  


_Central City Picture News and Detective Joseph West are proud to announce that our very own Photo-Graphics editor and special assignments photographer, Grace Allen has gotten married! It happened yesterday and the blushing bride looked absolutely stunning in a Skye Kendall design._

_The happy husband was none other than S.T.A.R. Labs' Head Mechanical Engineer, Francisco Ramon. We've been told by their families that the loving couple is now off to Italy for the honeymoon_.

  


The article continued to describe the day, the decorations and who was in attendance. Wells glared at a few names in particular. Oliver Queen, Felicity Smoak-Queen, Alexandra Queen and her long time boyfriend, Junior Police academy cadet, Nicholas Jordan. Roy Harper, Thea Queen, John and Lyla Diggle with their young daughter, Sara in toe.....Star City District Attorney, Laurel Lance. The gang was all there....

Now how to help Grace with this newest development.....


	10. Team Flash Is Born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Grace revisit a traumatic time in their childhood when their shared childhood bully reappears as a meta-human. And Grace demonstrates exactly what she'll do to protect her brother when she tells the story of how she really got hurt that day.....
> 
> Cisco and Grace setup experiments with each other with each other to get over their fears...or are they dares? You decide.
> 
> And Barry and Iris make up after their fight that has separated them for a week. While they catch up, Barry helps rename himself and Iris makes it all official on her blog.

**-2000.....**

 

11-year-old Barry Allen couldn't help the smile that came across his lips when he heard Three Dog Night's Joy To The World filter softly from downstairs. He knew who it would be too. His younger sister, 9-year-old Grace. He finished getting dressed, grabbed his backpack and walked out of his room. After Joy To The World ended, Barry and Iris, who had walked out of her room heard an upbeat 80s song starting.

“What's with the music?” Iris asked.

He shrugged. “She's always played music in the morning. Just be happy it's not a soundtrack to a Disney Princess movie.”

Iris laughed and they both jogged down the steps to see Joe and Grace dancing to the song. Joe smiled when he looked up, dressed in his police uniform. “There's waffles on the counter,” Joe told them and then spun Grace.

She laughed. Barry had to admit it was nice to hear her laugh again, even if he couldn't.....

* * *

 

**-Present Day...**

 

“ _To understand what I'm about to tell you, you need to do something first. You need to believe in the impossible. Can you do that? Good, because all of us, we have forgotten what miracles look like. Maybe because they haven't made much of an appearance lately. Our lives have become ordinary, but there are two people out there who are truly extraordinary. I don't know where you came from. I don't know your names, but I have seen you do the impossible to protect the city I love. So for those of us who believe in you and what you're doing, I just want to say thank you_.”

After Iris hit send, she was swept up to the roof.

“You're welcome.” He smiled. “My sister says you're welcome too.”

“How did you... I literally just hit send.”

“Speed reading.”

“It's crazy what you can do to your voice.”

“You need to stop writing your blog.”

“People need to know that you exist.” Her phone began to buzz and she pulled it out of her pocket to look at who it was. Eddie, she hit Ignore and looked up at the Streak. “What else can you do? What can your sister do?”

“This is not an interview. And if my sister wants you to know she'll tell you.”

“Come on. You got to give me something. Hobbies, pet peeves, favorite color? Wait, scratch that last one. Red, duh, obviously.”

“You're not hearing me.”

“My hearing is fine. It's just selective. What should I call you?”

“Anything but The Streak.”

“Fine. Suggestions?”

“You said you were writing about me to bring hope to someone you care about.”

“And her sister. She's become my little sister too, in a way.”

He smiled, but she didn't see it. “How would he feel if doing that put you in harm's way?”

“He and I aren't exactly on the same page these days. Besides, you're giving hope to a lot of people, so I'm doing this for them.”

The sounds of sirens in the background silenced them both. “To be continued.” He smirked. “Gotta run.”

“Hey! You can't leave me up--”

She suddenly found herself back inside Jitters. He sped away to help the officers with their job. Both Barry and Grace were there. Grace realized as Joe and Eddied fired at the guy they were going through the window, but bouncing off him. She then saw the guy getting ready to barrel Eddie down. She dive-bombed down and then glided very close to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his waist and flew him out of the way. Throwing her voice she said, “You really gotta pay more attention, Detective.

She and Barry cornered him and he got out of the vehicle when Barry ordered and he threw door of the Humvee. She watched as Barry punched him and watched his face go metallic. He beat the crap out of Barry and so she jumped in to help. She quickly balled her fist up and threw a punch herself. Instead of like Barry, the guy stumbled backwards. She smirked. He then hauled off and punched her in the face. She spit the blood out.

“Not quite tough enough are you, Princess?”

She straightened and looked at him. “What did you say?”

He smiled devilishly. “You heard me.”

She looked at her brother. “We gotta get outta here.”

He nodded and they both sped off. She went up and he ran.

* * *

 

Grace landed in the comm room of the Lab and whipped her eye mask off. “Fuck!” she exclaimed and pressed a hand to her face. She winced. “What the hell is it with guys and knowing exactly where to hit you when you're a woman?”

“He hit you?” Cisco questioned.

She turned to the man. “Well, this isn't exactly a makeup statement I wanna make, Ramon.” She waved to her brother. “Get him he took a beating worse than me.”

Caitlin grimaced when she seen the bruise forming just below Grace's right eye to her chin. “Ooh. That looks like it hurts.”

“Well, it's not exactly fun,” she muttered. “How is he?”

“We gotta get him to the bed, but I don't dare move him.”

“Grace....”

“What?” she said coming to him.

“You do it.”

“B, I've never actually lifted another person using any of my forms of telekinesis.”

“I trust you.”

She smiled. “Okay.” She looked at Cisco and Caitlin. “Let's get him on his back.”

They gently rolled him onto his back and she held out her hands at first as she squinted at her brother. Caitlin and Cisco watched in awe as he lifted off of the ground. “How....how are you doing that?” Caitlin asked.

She didn't answer as she concentrated and then she began walking with him and he floated all the way into the medbay as she and Barry called it. She gently laid him down and pressed a hand to his arm. She kissed his cheek. “There you go, B.”

“Thank you.”

“Did it hurt?” Caitlin asked.

“Never even felt it,” Barry answered.

“Let's take x-rays of your whole body,” she said.

“Let Caitlin deal with him. I wanna get some ice on that,” Cisco said softly.

She sighed and then looked down into his brown eyes. She nodded and let him pull her to another part of the room. He sat her down and got an ice pack. He gently placed it on the bruise. She hissed through the pain. “I'm sorry, _Corazon_.”

She shook her head. “Don't worry about it.”

He kept the ice in place and looked down at her from where she sat on the other bed. “Do you still want me to come over tonight?”

She nodded. “Always,” she answered softly.

He smiled and bent down to kiss her. “Keep that in place.”

“13 fractures. That's a new record, and that's just in your hand. You also have a concussion, three cracked ribs, and a bruised spleen. Even with your powers, you'll need a few hours to heal.”

“What exactly did you hit?”

“A man. A big, bad man. His skin changed when I hit him. Like, it turned to metal.”

“It felt like it too,” Grace said walking to the group.

“Interesting. A man of steel.”

“So you went after a meta-human alone? Dude, why didn't you call us?” Cisco asked.

“I didn't know what he was.” He sat up. “Besides, I was off-duty.”

“Hmm.”

“You're lucky he didn't knock out your teeth. Those puppies don't grow back.”

“The strange thing is I feel like I knew him.”

“Me too,” Grace said.

“What do you mean?”

“He said something that was familiar, but he's gonna hurt someone if we don't stop him. So how do I fight a guy that's made of steel?” Barry asked.

“We will find a way. Tonight, you heal.”

“Yeah.”

* * *

 

Barry had a meeting and Captain Singh had found the identity of the guy. It was Barry's old school Bully, Tony Woodward. After he flashbacked to one of the many times Tony kicked his ass, he walked out with Eddie, texting Grace: **Know who Tin Man is. Meet me at the Lab at lunch**

**[From Grace]: Will do.**

* * *

 

Grace walked into S.T.A.R. Labs and smiled at everyone. “So who is this Metal Man anyway?”

“Tony Woodward.”

Cisco looked at Grace and watched as the blood drained out of her face. “You-you-you're kidding?”

He shook his head. Then she remember what he had said last night and suddenly she was nine years old again:

  
  


_Carmichael Elementary was like every other school in America—unless your father had been accused and convicted of killing your mother and then it was your own version of Hell. And by the looks of Tony Woodward slamming her brother up against the locker like he'd done for most of the year, today was going to be like the rest. She watched her brother slide down the lockers and walked over to him. She knelt down with Iris, except on opposite sides._

“ _You okay?”_

_He nodded. “Yeah.” The girls helped him to his feet. Grace bent down and picked up his backpack, she handed it to him. “Thank you.”_

“ _You're welcome.” She looked at the clock that hung on the wall. “I gotta go, okay? Talk to you at lunch?”_

_Barry nodded. He and Iris walked down one end of the hallway and Grace walked down another. Grace walked toward her class and slowed when she saw Barry's tormentor standing with his friend. She shifted her bag and then clutched her laptop to her chest and kept her head down as she walked._

“ _Allen!”_

_Grace didn't say or do anything, she just kept walking. However, as she walked past him, he grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. When he turned her around, her laptop slipped from her hands and hit the floor. She glared up at him. “What do you want?! Huh?! Terrorizing my brother isn't enough you're gonna start on me now?” She gasped as Tony grabbed her and almost slammed her against the lockers._

“ _TONY!”_

_He looked over his shoulder to see his wrestling coach. “Coach Simpson.”_

“ _What in the hell do you think you're doing, Tony?” the man who was in his late 40s, early 50s asked. “Let her go and get your butt to class.”_

_Grace slid away from Tony, grabbed her bag and her laptop and took off down the hall to her class._

  
  


____________________

“Gracie?”

She pulled out her memories and came back to reality. “Wha...what? I'm sorry.”

“Where did you go?” Caitlin asked.

“Carmichael Elementary.” She exhaled and ran a hand through her curly styled hair. “Tony wasn't the only Allen he terrorized.”

Barry's jaw dropped. “He beat you up?”

She nodded. “A-A-A-A few times. Apparently he didn't get the desired reaction out of you like he wanted and came after me.”

“Why didn't you ever say anything?”

She shrugged. “He was already terrorizing you. I didn't want to make it worse and I didn't want dad to know because it would put even more pressure on him.”

Then Barry had a memory of the day she came home with a broken arm. “He broke your arm didn't he?”

“Barry--”

“Didn't he?” he said a little more forcefully.

She nodded. “Yeah.”

He exhaled and ran his hands through his hair. “Damn it, Gracie. That was the time to say something. Joe would have wanted to know.”

“I know, Barry, but you didn't exactly make things easy in the beginning I wanted to make them easier when it came to me.”

“Your childhood nemesis is now an unstoppable meta-human. That is seriously messed up.

“I had a childhood nemesis. Lexi La Roche. She used to put gum in my hair.”

“Jake Puckett. If I didn't let him copy my homework he'd give me a swirly.”

“Now that we've established that we're all uber-nerds—”

“My nerdiness was by association, Big Brother.”

He laughed. “Oh, Gracie, you were a nerd.”

Cisco smiled. “Sexiest nerd I know.” His eyes widened. “Did I say that out loud?”

She laughed with Caitlin and Barry. “You did, but don't worry about it.”

“What are we gonna do about Tony?”

“Glad you asked. We're gonna train you, man. Karate Kid style.” The walked into the other room and he whipped a sheet off a large metal structure.

“Behold! I call him Girder.”

“For the record, not my idea.”

“Fighting is physics.”

Grace smiled. “Oh, I gotta hear this.”

“It's not about strength. It's not about size. It's about energy and power. Channel your speed the right way and you can totally take this bad boy down. Now obviously your Girder is a moving target.” They watch the jerky motions of the machine.

“I have ice and bandages standing by,” Caitlin added.

“Good to know,” Grace said. “How do you wanna do this?”

“I'll go first. Don't need you getting anymore hurt. You're my backup plan.”

“Why?” Cisco asked.

“Because she punched him and it actually did something,” Barry told them

“Are you serious?!” Cisco asked a little surprised. “You know how to punch?”

“Not....really. I mean, Joe taught me, but--”

“Grace stop it,” Barry told her. “It's okay to know self-defense.” He smiled. “He's not Josh.”

“I know that,” she whispered.

  
  


Barry fought Girder and got his ass kicked, dislocated his shoulder. Right before Caitlin put it back into place, he asked, “How'd did you hit him?”

She shrugged. “Part of my Earth...solids manipulation I can mimic metals.”

“That is so cool!” Barry exclaimed happily.

“Okay, Happy, sit still. We'll talk about our plan after you go to work.”

***************

“Barry! Check it out! The gravel you pulled from Tony's ride? It contains 76.8% hematite. Consistent with the mines at Keystone Ironworks.”

“Which closed down ten months ago. It's the perfect hideout,” Barry said.

“But why would you wanna live there?” Grace asked.

“Barry, do you mind telling me about this? "I have info about someone you're looking for. He was here. You know where to find me." Now who could she be talking to?”

Barry shrugged. He looked at Grace. “Practice on....Girder. I'll be back.”

She nodded. “Okay. Be careful.”

Barry left to talk to Iris and Cisco walked up to her. “How come you never said anything about Tony to me?”

She shrugged. She balled her hand into a fist to get ready to hit Girder, but Cisco stepped in front of her. “Tell me.”

She sighed. “I don't know. Tony Woodward, like with my brother, wasn't exactly my shining moment, Cisco.”

“Neither was Alisha Monroe, but you told me about her.”

She exhaled. “Alisha Monroe didn't kick my ass everyday. Tony wanted to hurt an Allen and lucky for him he got to hurt two of them.” She scratched her head nervously. “Besides, if I could take some of my brother's beatings I was fine with it. That's the other reason why I never told Joe because Tony would just go worse on Barry and as long as I kept my mouth shut Barry got through it.”

Cisco walked up to her and cupped a hand behind her head, pulling her mouth to his. She moaned in surprise as he took the kiss deeper, sweeping his tongue inside. It'd been about week since they'd kissed because she was afraid of hurting him again. But he had caught her so off guard, that she involuntarily wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into the kiss.

After a few breathless moments, he pulled back, both panting and looked at her. “You're amazing, you know that?”

She nodded. “So, you keep telling me,” she finally said. She pressed her forehead to his. “Cisco, I'm still scared. Scared that I'll hurt you like I did--”

“That wasn't your fault, Gracie. You absorbed fire. It was only logical your body would take on it's properties.” He caressed her cheek. “We'll just have to remember that for future intimacy. No sex or other activities if you stop a fire.”

She laughed. “You're getting awful sure of yourself that they'll be a next time that that happens, Ramon.” He smiled and her heart soared.

“I wanna try an experiment with you, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay....” she said cautiously.

“We'll go at your pace, but eventually the end game of the experiment is to see if we can have sex or do some kind of sexual activity without you imploding, setting me on fire or any of the other nightmares you've had.”

She nodded. _Okay, Ramon, two can play that experiment._ “I'll agree to yours if you agree to mine.”

“What's yours?”

“That we do couples activities without you pulling away. I know you're scared that something will happen and you'll lose me, but Cisco, I'm not going anywhere. Not even if we break up, which I don't plan on it happening. The conclusion of the experiment will be that people will _**know**_ we're together romantically because it'll be in our body language and everything.”

He nodded. “So, we're facing our fears together without looking back?”

She nodded and touched his chest intimately. “We're in it together. No looking back.” She smiled. “So, what do you say?”

“I say....” he smiled. “Yes.” His smiled widened and her insides turned to jelly as he said, “I couldn't chosen a better experiment partner.”

She nodded, laughing. “Right. So....how about tonight after we get rid of Tony you come over, spend the night and we can cuddle.”

“Cuddle?”

“Yeah. It's what usual couples do, Cisco. Plus, cuddling is a good way to build intimacy with another person without actually _**having**_ intimacy.”

He eyed her suspiciously. He knew what she was trying to say. Cuddling with her was going to be build intimacy before they actually have sex. “Is that your psychology speaking?”

She smirked. “Maybe....”

“Okay, Dr. Phil, you're on.”

To seal their deal, he kissed her deeply, dragging it out.

* * *

 

“Cisco, Grace? We have a problem,” Caitlin said over the intercom.

Grace walked hurriedly into the comm room. “What do you mean a problem?”

“Barry's not answering his comm and according to--”

“He's barely breathing!” Grace exclaimed. She tapped the button that would call Barry. “Barry! Barry, it's me. Please answer!”

No answer. “Where in the hell is Tony's place?” she asked the air as she typed something on the keyboard. She got the address and it popped up on the screen. “Let's go.” She started walking out, but stopped, turning. “Are you coming?”

Both Cisco and Caitlin hurriedly walked out with her. They got into the S.T.A.R. Labs vehicle and Grace said, “I think one of the first programs I should build—and I'm not joking—is a tracking program so that we can tabs on his stubborn ass.”

They got to the Ironworks building and they rushed inside. “Barry!” Grace called.

“Barry?!” they called together.

“Barry, where are you?” Caitlin asked.

Grace's stomach dropped when she saw her brother's limbs sticking out from under a metal shelf. “Cis-Cisco.”

He looked and saw what Grace saw. “Caitlin, over here!” 

“Barry? Please, say something! Say something so we know you're okay.”

Cisco gently pulled him out from under the shelving unit. 

“Ow.”

“Get him out of there!”

“Let's get him back to the Lab,” Grace said. She put her hands out in front of her and then faced them down. She squinted slightly and he levitated off the ground. “Hold still, Jerk.”

“Hey,” he groaned.

“Shut up, Barry,” Grace snapped.

*******************

“What were you thinking? What were you thinking? I told you that we would figure out a way to deal with him,” Wells said.

“I'll heal.”

“You can't heal when you're dead. He could have killed you.”

“I know, all right? I know! In the past 36 hours I've had my ass handed to me twice by the guy that tortured me as a kid. I couldn't stop him then, and I can't stop him now! Even with my powers I'm still powerless against him.”

“Barry--”

“Not necessarily. Cisco?”

Cisco called up a simulation they created. 

“Any material, if struck at a high enough velocity can be compromised.”

“We ran an analysis on the metal in Tony's footprint. Based on its density and atomic structure, if you impact it at just the right angle, at just the right speed, you could do some serious damage.”

“Or I could just send Grace in there and she kick his ass.”

She laughed softly. “As much as I would  _**love** _ to kick his ass for you, I think you need to do this.”

“Why?”

“Because it's the same thing that happened with me and Alisha. I had to face her on my own. You have to face him on your own.” She took a breath. “Barry, I took my beatings from this guy for you.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I knew if he had someone to beat on he'd take it easy on you.” She seen the look in his eyes and exhaled. “You're my big brother. I'll do anything to protect you.”

He walked to her and hugged her. “It was an extremely stupid thing to do and they should have stopped when he broke your arm.”

“They did,” she told him. “Coach Simpson put 2 and 2 together and figured it out. And from what I understand he told him that if he didn't stop then he was off the wrestling team.”

Barry sighed. He looked at the others. “How fast would I have to go?”

“Factoring in the metal's tensile strength, estimated dermal thickness, atmospheric pressure, air temp, you'd have to hit him at approximately...mach 1.1.”

“Aww, hell no,” Grace muttered.

“You want Barry to hit something at 800 miles an hour?”

“837, actually.”

“That's faster than the speed of sound.”

“I know. He would create a sonic boom, which, as I've said before, would be awesome.” He kissed his fingers.

“You're nuts.” 

“I've never gone that fast.”

“Yet,” Wells reminded him. 

“I can't believe we're actually entertaining this idea. I mean, he'd need a straight shot from Miles away.”

“Yeah, 5.3 Miles, theoretically.”

“Do it right, you'll take him down,” Wells told him.

“Do it wrong, you'll shatter every bone in your body.”

* * *

 

While Barry and Eddie are bonding and working out in his lab, they get word that Iris has been taken by Tony. After telling Joe, Barry called Grace and she rushed to the station. Grace looked around and saw Joe. “Dad.”

He rushed to her. “We're still looking for her.”

She exhaled. Joe looked at Barry, “You don't think he'd hurt her do you?”

He didn't answer, but Grace said, “Actually he might.”

“Grace--”

“No, Barry, you were right. I should have said something then.”

“Said something about what?”

“Uh....Tony used to beat up on me. I don't know why. Maybe he just wanted an Allen to hit around. But that day you got the call from the school that said I feel down the stairs and broke my arm?”

His heart dropped. “You didn't fall down the stairs?”

“Oh, I fell down the stairs. Tony pushed me. After that he laid off because Coach Simpson threatened him.”

He hugged her and then looked her in the eyes. “Why didn't you ever say anything?”

“I was trying to make things easier for everyone all the way around. Barry wasn't adjusting well. He'd pull his disappearing acts, Iris would cover for him. He was being picked on by Tony and his friends and then add on what he was doing to me. I didn't want to add to it.”

“Oh, Gracie, you're my daughter. It doesn't matter what kind of stress I'm under, I need to know when someone's hurting you.”

“I know, dad.” 

“Sir, sir, we got a fire alarm call at Carmichael Elementary,” An officer told the Captain.

“Dispatch the fire department. We'll send backup when we can,” Singh told him.

“That's the school you kids went to.”

“And Tony.” 

“Go.”

Both of them left. They quickly changed and then went to save Iris. They got outside the school and Grace looked at him. “Remember. I'm only your backup. You need to face him on your own. It's the only way to get over it.”

“What about you, Gracie? He broke your arm.”

She nodded. “Oh, I didn't say that I wasn't going to get a few punches in before you take him out, but I'm saying you should be the one to do it.”

He nodded. “Okay. Let's do this.”

“Cops are already looking for me, so get ready to cover the showdown of a lifetime 'cause I'm not going out without a fight,” Tony told Iris.

“Good, 'cause you just found one.”

“You just won't stay dead. Come to save your little fan girl?”

“This is between us. Let her go.”

He brought out his power, covering himself in hematite. “Oh, I could, but I'd rather make her watch while I break every bone in your body.”

“Oh, is that what you really think is going to happen here?”

Tony let out an impressed laugh. Iris watched as the 2 siblings looked each other, doing a silent conversation it seemed like then went into action. He ran toward Tony, but instead of hitting him, he went under his legs to get Iris out of the way. While Grace was the one who stopped the punch and then kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over.

She looked at him, smirking just a little. “It's not much fun when they hit back, is it you Tin Metal Jackass.”

Tony swung again and she dodged and then kicked him in the balls, hard. This time he really doubled over. He turned to punch Barry again, but this time Barry used his speed and got around him and kicked him literally in the ass. “Too slow, Tin Man.”

He tried again, but missed Barry, however, Grace redirected his punch and it went into the lockers. She laughed. “You've really got learn aim, Man. I'm telling ya, you suck.”

“I've known guys like you. Peaked in high school. Never got over it. All these powers, and look at you! Bully then, bully now.”

He went after Grace again but she jumped up and flipped over him, landing behind him. Barry moved her out of the way and grabbed the flag from it's base and attempted to hit him with it, but Tony caught it and started swinging Barry around like a ragdoll.

“No!” Iris and Grace said in unison.

Grace looked at her brother. “Get up.” She looked him in the eyes. “Get up.”

Barry took off running and Grace stood up. She looked at Tony. “I guess it's you and me then, Tin Man.”

Inside her ear she could hear Cisco talking to her, “Gracie, no! Don't.”

Grace ignored him and looked at Tony. “You know there's one thing I learned about guys like you.”

“What's that?”

“You really hate to get your asses kicked by a girl.” She kicked him in the face and he stumbled back. 

“How in the hell are you able to do that?!”

She smirked. “That's my little secret.” She picked up the flagpole rod and spun it in her hands and then charged him with it. She lifted him in the air and then slammed him on the ground. He thudded with a grunt. She then threw the pole toward the doors. “Not as fun as I thought.”

  
  


Barry got the recommended amount of miles to go mach 1.1 and started running. Caitlin stood and tried to stop him, “Barry, wait.”

“No way,” Cisco said excitedly. “He's gonna do it. Go, man, go!”

Barry felt pumped when he heard Grace in his ear. “You can do this, Big Brother. I know you can. I believe in you.”

  
  


In the elementary school, Grace moved up against the lockers with Iris after she gave her pep talk to Barry and waited as Tony was charging them. He burst through the doors and plowed his fist into Tony's face knocking him on his ass. Grace smiled. “Yes!” she exclaimed as Iris ran. 

When he was getting up to beat on Barry again, Iris came running and punched him hard. Grace smiled as she watched the two of them. She had seen the little crush forming with Iris when Barry put her up against the locker. She walked out of the shadows. She folded her arms across her chest as Barry said to Iris, “Nice cross.”

“Yeah, I think I broke my hand,” she hissed.

Grace smiled and disguised her voice. “Nice teamwork, you two.”

Iris smiled. “Yeah. Thanks. I should be saying that about you guys. That was amazing.” She smiled. “Especially you and your badass chick moves.”

Grace laughed.

“Our teamwork comes from years of experience,” Barry said winking to his sister.

“He's right. And thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.” She smiled. “Do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“Change my name. UFO just doesn't sound right.”

Iris smiled. “I didn't give it to you, but I'd be happy to give you another. Do you have a suggestion?”

She smiled. “Gaia.”

Iris smiled. “Gaia. I like that.”

* * *

 

Tony came to in one of the makeshift prison cells. “Hey! What is this? Where the hell am I?”

“Somewhere you'll never hurt anyone ever again,” Barry told him.

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

“You know who I am.” He stepped out of the shadows.

“Allen?”

“The thing that happened to you, Tony, it happened to me too, and my sister, but it didn't just give us abilities. It made us more of who we are. You got strong. My sister got the ability to control Earth's elements. Which just showed her how strong she actually was. I got fast. Fast enough to beat you. You used your gift to hurt people. Not anymore.”

“Allen. Allen. Allen, don't walk away from me, Allen! Hey! Come back here! Allen! Allen!” Tony protested.

All 4 of them walked out. Barry put an arm around Grace's waist. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I'm great. I told you I would get a few punches in before you did the thing you needed to do.” She put an arm around his waist. “Do you feel better?”

He nodded. “I do. Thank you.” He hugged her.

“For what?”

“For having faith in me,” he said. “You have never wavered on that and that's what I'm thanking you for.”

She laughed, hugging him. “I'll always have faith in you, Big Brother. I'll always believe in you and I will  _**always** _ stand by you.”

He hugged her tighter. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

Barry goes and makes up with Iris. She offers to have them catch up and they take a seat. She starts talking about the Streak but this conversation was different than the rest. “ There are others out there that are like him. There's his sister. Whose asked me to rename her Gaia on my blog. And then, I've gotten scattered posts about this guy that's on fire, except that he doesn't burn up.”

“Okay, so wait. Wait. You're trying to find The Burning Man now too?”

“Yeah, why not? I mean, a lot can happen in a week, especially with The Streak.” She laughed softly. “I've been trying to get answers from him. Where does he come from? How does he do what he does? But he dodges everything. Literally, with this super-speed power. When he moves, Barry, you don't even see him. He comes and goes in the blink of an eye, in a...”

“Flash?” Barry suggested. 

“In a Flash. Yeah.”The two kept talking and before she left that night she finished up her blog post.

“ _Today, I was saved by the impossible. A mysterious brother-sister duo. The fastest man alive and his sister who can fly. Then a friend gave me an idea for a new name for our speedster friend, and something tells me it's gonna catch on_.”

Before she hit send she changed the last part of the title of the blog post:  _Saved By The Flash._

* * *

 

Grace put the jazz CD into her player and then walked into her room as the softly upbeat saxophone filled the air. She walked to her dresser and pulled out a pajama set. She quickly changed and then headed out of her room and into the kitchen, where she grabbed a bottle of red wine. She went a drawer that had the corkscrew and popped it open. She smiled it, smiling. She walked over to the cupboard where she kept her wine glasses when she heard a knock at the door.

She walked out of the kitchen and to her front door. She peeked through the peephole and smiled when she saw Cisco on the other end. She opened the door. Cisco's jaw fell open at the spaghetti strapped and shorts pajamas she wore and then he smiled. “Still the best legs in the world.”

She laughed softly and pulled him inside. He heard the music and listened. “What is this?”

“Jazz,” she answered. “Joe listens to it.” She smiled. “I think it relaxes me.” She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Want a glass of wine?”

“Sure,” he said. “Thank you.”

He let her start to walk away, but then pulled her back into him, taking her mouth instantly. She moaned and he swept his tongue inside and she felt her entire body ignite. However, just as quickly as it had started, he ended it. “Do you have somewhere where I could change?” he asked.

“Um....” her brain was all foggy. “Bedroom,” was all the words she could get out.

He smiled and they both walked in opposite directions of the apartment. She poured 2 glasses and then put the cork back on the bottle. She walked back into the living room just as he walked out of the bedroom. She smiled at his plaid pants and t-shirt. “Cute.”

“Thanks,” he said. They sat on the couch together and propped his legs up on the table while she curled into one of the cushions like she always did. He sipped the wine. “Ooh. That's nice.”

She smiled into her wine, sipped then said, “Wine's one of my few splurges.”

He smiled. “I can see why.” He rolled his head to the side and looked at her. “So....um....how do you want to start this little experiment?”

She laughed softly and straightened her long legs until they went on his legs. “Did none of the girls you dated let you cuddle?”

He shook his head. “Like I said, we never lasted that long.”

She nodded. “Right.” She moved closer to him, keeping her legs draped over his, she put her head on his chest, resting her wine on her bare leg. “Now do something that feels natural to you.”

He lifted his arm, pulled her closer and pushed his hand under the arm that was holding the wine glass as he tucked his hand into her. He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him. He bent his head down and kissed her on the lips. 

“Comfy?” she asked.

“Yeah, I am. You?”

“Yeah.” She smiled. As they sat cuddled on the couch enjoying the jazzy, slow notes she didn't dare mention how natural this felt and she definitely didn't dare say anything when she felt his fingers caressing her leg when she dropped the hand that held the wine glass at her torso and what the feel of him doing that did to her. 

They could lay like this forever and she'd actually be really content to do so.


	11. Feelings Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their next mutual experiment tests are happening.....Cisco and Grace have an intimate moment. And they finally make it....official?
> 
> (This is just a filler chapter, but it takes place on the same day as the next episode chapter--Power Outage)

Grace awoke from the sun peering into her eyes. She rolled onto her back and stretched. She rolled her head to the other side and smiled when she saw Cisco laying next to her. Half of his face was pressed into the pillow, a soft smile on his face. It’d been a week since they had decided to do their ‘experiments’ with each other and she had admit he was actually really getting used to having a girlfriend.

They now didn’t sleep without each other. They switched on and off with whose place they slept at. She didn’t think it was actually possible to meet a guy who didn’t just want sex from her. Not that they both didn’t want to. If her end of the experiment was any indication then he wanted to more than anything. However, she was discovering that so far, Cisco and Caitlin’s conclusions about her powers were right.

The week or so that they’d started their respective experiments, she and Cisco had made out a lot. And she got pretty hot and bothered over some of the make out moves and she hadn’t imploded or set him on fire. So maybe they were right it only worked that way if she used one power more than the others.

His end of the experiment was going well too. With each passing day he was allowing himself to let them act more like a couple. He seemed to be encouraged by the fact that she wasn’t going to go anywhere, not even when he totally nerded out. In fact, he had quickly discovered that she was an uber nerd just like her brother had accused them all of being last week. She was actually encouraged by his progress because now he initiated ‘couple’ behavior, like hand holding, hugging her and kissing her forehead (she loved those kisses the most), and kissing her in general.

Actually, he’d begun to kiss her as she left the Lab or right before she and Barry fought a bad guy (thankfully he had not done it in front of Joe yet). He was also discovering that she was **_really_** into him and she _LOVED_ it when he got excited for his inventions or whatever. She was also discovering something about herself—she was **_REALLY_** turned on by him in general. She was hoping that it didn’t take herself that much longer to realize she wasn’t going to do anything horrible to him if they got intimate because she _SO_ wanted to be with him that way.

She bit her lip and smiled. She lifted the blankets and moved closer to him. Once the blankets weren’t tucked around her, she rolled into him, curling into him. Without even waking up really, he lifted his chin and then wrapped an arm around her.

“Morning,” he murmured, sleepily.

“Morning,” she said into his chest.

“What time is it?” he asked.

She looked past him and looked at the clock display on his side of the bed. “Six forty-five,” she said. “When do you have to get to the lab?”

“By eight,” he muttered. He kissed her forehead and then rolled her to her back, kissing down her face sleepily.

She tilted her head back, giving him access to her neck, which he gladly took as an invitation. She moaned as he placed pecks down her neck and caressed her everywhere. “Oh, God…..”

He pulled back and looked down at her. “Ready to try another step in the experiment, Gracie?”

“What?” she breathed.

“Foreplay sex,” he murmured against her lips and she moaned. He smiled against her lips, then kissed her. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes,” she groaned. “If I can return it.”

He smiled. “This is a mutual outcome experiment, Sweetheart.” He moved his hands from her waist, to find hers. Once he found them, he brought them up above her head. “You first,” he said softly. He kissed her deeply, sucking her bottom lip in before ending the kiss. He left a trail of feathery kisses over her clothed body.

She writhed under him as she said impatiently, “Wait.”

He stopped immediately and looked down at her, keeping his hand cuffing her hands. “What?”

She twitched her hands and asked, “Let go please?”

He pushed himself back, letting go of her hands. His dark eyes never left hers as she crossed her arms, bunch the hem of her pajama tank and maneuvering out of it. She pulled it up over her head and he just about groaned when he groaned deep in his chest at her bare breasts. He smiled as she grabbed a hold of his pajama top and pulled him down on top of her.

He took her mouth hungrily. The kiss was rough and deep as they both panted and moaned. Her long legs quickly wrapped around him. He growled at the feel of her pressed into him. She moaned as she felt his warmth rolling off of him. His tongue slid inside her mouth and their tongues tangled. Grace’s body lit up with a burning, urgent, need to possess him in every way possible. To chase the fire that he ignited in her with just a look in her direction.

He growled again as he deepened the kiss, needing that feeling. At this moment he had felt more alive than he had in months, years really. He wanted this feeling to last, needed it to last forever. He poured everything he had into the kiss.

Her fingers delved into his hair and she kept him close as the kiss went to a whole new level. It felt like he was trying to possess her using his soul as his hands seemed to of had a life of their own too. Moving up and down, caressing her gently, but wantonly. She moaned into his mouth again. He tangled his own fingers in her hair and let their passions rule.

He broke the kiss and almost came unglued when she whimpered. He began kissing down her chin, her neck. He had never wanted a woman like he wanted her, like he needed her. What in the hell was with her that he felt he needed the connection of them? He continued his blaze of hot kisses down her body and felt himself get harder and the need get stronger with each of her moans.

She closed her eyes as she felt his lips everywhere on her body, the sweet sensations overtaking her. "Cisco.....please....."

"I will," he whispered as he dipped his tongue into the dimple of her bellybutton.

She gasped with need at the feel of his hot, wet tongue on her skin. "Shit...." she felt the warm heat between her legs and almost sighed. He wasn't even inside of her and all they were doing was kissing and touching and she was almost there. She felt his tongue dip again and she almost lost it. "Cisco!"

"I'm right here," he whispered as he readjusted and laid half on top of her and half on the bed. She shifted to partly on her side and pushed his shirt above his head, and off. She tossed it on the floor. He balanced himself with one arm and began touching her with the other, feeling her shudders with each touch. He dipped his head down to take one of her very hard and erect nipples into his mouth.

"Oh, God...." she cried out as she felt the heat of his mouth on her skin, suckling her nipple into submission. The man was seriously going to kill her. She felt him stop and move to her other one and she was lost. There was no way she could be even more turned on than this moment.

She could feel the familiar ball of warmth that formed in her belly, which was a definite indication that she was very much almost there. She wedged her arm down between them and began rubbing him through his pajama bottoms. He released a heavy moan and she kissed him hard.

He gently spread her apart and caressed her with a couple of swift touches of his fingers against her inner thigh, close to her heat. Her orgasm was instant, and earth shattering.

He moaned as her hand sped up against the friction of the cotton. “Oh, God….”

She smiled slyly. “Feels good, huh?”

“Oh, yeah,” he groaned as she squeezed a little. Instead of leaving it at that, he moved his own hand down to where she was squeezing him through the cotton and untied himself. “But I think….” Something in his brain seriously misfired as she pressed harder into him. “….we can do much better.”

He gently took her hand and pulled it away from his cock and gently pushed it down his pants. He leaned forward as her now smoky blue eyes looked into his eyes and said against her lips, “Pump me.”

She groaned against his mouth as he claimed her lips and pushed her hand down until her hand wrapped around him. She groaned loudly, breaking the kiss. “Seriously?” she asked as he moved to kiss her again. It might sound really bad if she ever said it out loud, but what he lacked in height, he gained in girth. The man was thick and there was no way around it.

“What?” he asked against her neck.

“Nothing,” she breathed. She began a kind of circular pumping action as she bent her head down and flicked her tongue over his tip. She smiled when she felt the muscles in his cock twitch a little. If it was ever wrong to enjoy the fact that with anything she did to him he was so responsive, she didn’t care that she was ever right again.

He put his palm against her belly, then gently pushed past her pajama short shorts. He almost growled when he realized she didn’t wear panties with it. He angled his hand just right and then slipped his middle finger inside of her.

“Damn….” She whispered and felt him twitch again.

He gently pumped in and out of her taking in every gasp, groan and moan. With each movement of his finger she did 2 pumps on him. Finding her center, he curled his finger and flicked. She fisted her hand into his sheets and cried out, which was actually more of a scream. She bowed as she felt the sensational pleasure.

He felt the fire in his gut and moaned. “Gracie, God….I’m almost there.”

“Me too,” she panted. God what she wouldn’t give to feel him on top of her right now.

He smiled satisfyingly as another, much larger orgasm overtook her and she screamed again. He slowed the flicking as she came down from the orgasm. Seconds later, he came just as hard. He bowed his head into her neck and breathed in her sweaty scent as she panted down from euphoria. “There is no way that that could get better,” he breathed into her neck.

She laughed softly and turned on her side. She kissed him softly, dragging the kiss out. She lingered there with small kisses. “Well, good news….”

“What’s that?”

“Neither of us got thrown across the room, crushed by pressure, your windows didn’t break and neither of us caught on fire….” She smiled against his mouth as she pulled him over top of her. “….physically speaking that is.”

He laughed with her that time. “That’s very true.”

She sighed, contently as he wrapped an arm around her. She ran her fingers up and down his arm. “Did you ever think that….”

“What?” he asked staring at his wall as she caressed his arm.

“Did you ever think that you could have this?”

“What?” It’s not that he didn’t think he knew what she was talking about, but he wanted to see if they were on the same page. “Mind-blowing orgasms?”

She laughed softly and shook her head. “No….well, besides that. Did you ever think….” What if she was the only one that was feeling this intense toward him? Like they were headed for something amazing? That she was finally going to have not only her best friend, but someone she could plan a future with?

“Gracie….?” He coaxed. There was no answer and he lifted himself up on his arm. “Uh-oh. Feels like an insecurity coming on.”

She sighed softly. “Wasn’t starting out that way,” she murmured.

“Okay. What brought it on?”

“You….me….us,” she said softly. “Cisco, I’ve never _ever_ felt this way toward anyone before and let me tell you foreplay **_never_** felt like that. I’m afraid to ask you something in fear that it’ll put you about twelve steps back.”

He gently pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked down into her eyes. “Couldn’t happen.”

“You don’t know the question yet.”

He into her eyes. “Then ask then we’ll both know.”

“Do you ever just….” She took a breath, “….think about the future…..with me?”

“You mean like us together, married or whatever?”

She nodded. He kissed her gently and her heart thudded in her chest. Was he going to start to pull away? “All the time,” he answered. He seen her eyes blow in shock and he smiled, kissing her again. “Baby, I wanted something with you from the moment that we met. That hasn’t changed. If anything in the ten months we’ve known each other that’s gotten stronger which is why it’s so scary for me that you’ll leave and I’ll lose….everything.”

He kissed her and said, “I know I’ve probably gave you a complex with the whole going hot and cold thing, but Grace, I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled and pushed a hair out of her face again. “You’re easily becoming the most important person in the world to me.”

She almost sighed in relief as she hugged herself into him, wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, Thank God. Me too.” She turned her face away from his chest as she said, “I think I’m falling for you.”

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I’ve already started.”

She pulled back, sitting up. “Since when?”

“Um….when you told me your fears about getting intimate with me with your powers.”

She felt a blush creep across her face and she groaned. “Oh, God….why?”

“Because it told me that even the hot girl can have insecurities, but it also showed me that you were vulnerable with me just like I have been feeling with you.”

She laughed and kissed him. “You’re making assumptions like I was the hot popular chick in high school.”

“Weren’t you?”

She shook her head. “Not even close, Ramon. That was Alisha Monroe and her band of Barbies.”

“Barbies?”

She nodded. “It’s what we unpopular kids called the popular girls. Because they had no brains and were about as fake as a Barbie doll.” She sighed. “I was the freaky girl whose dad killed her mom, so no one wanted to be friends with me.”

He wrapped his hand gently around her arm and pulled her down for a kiss. “I would have.”

She pressed a hand to his chest and kissed him again. “You wanna get in the shower or me?”

“You go ahead. I’ll make breakfast.”

She smiled and kissed him again. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“It’s a gift,” he promised.

They both got off the bed and he readjusted his pants. She smiled and walked up to him. She kissed him softly. “Next time we do that, we’re doing it naked.”

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. He kissed her shoulder, neck and then her shoulder again. She cuffed her hands around his arms as he held on. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped. His brain halted when he realized what he was going to say. _Oh, what the hell! She expressed herself honestly._ “I don’t plan on seeing anyone else while we’re…..together.”

She smirked and turned into his arms. “Why,” she put her arms around his neck, “is that the Cisco Ramon way of requesting permission to call me your girlfriend?”

“Yes,” he said simply.

She laughed and kissed him again. “I’d be honored, but only if it wouldn’t freak you out for me to call you my boyfriend.”

“Deal,” he promised with a kiss. He then playfully slapped her ass. “Now get your beautiful behind in the shower. I’m gonna go make breakfast.”

She laughed and watched him walk out, shirtless. She sighed, smile still in place. If this was what a relationship with him was gonna be like, she couldn’t wait to see what happened next.


	12. Power Outage

Grace walked into CCPD carrying 2 cup holders. 3 cups of coffee were in one and four in the other. She greeted the officers as they went about their day duties. She walked through the desks of the bullpen. Eddie looked over when he saw movement and smiled. “Hey, Joe.”

Joe looked and smiled as Grace walked to them carrying the detective’s life’s blood in her hands. She smiled. “Detectives.”

Joe stood and kissed her cheek. She handed him one of the coffees. “Thank you. What do I owe the pleasure, Sweetheart?”

She smiled. “Just checking in, dad.” She handed the other to Eddie.

He eyed her knowingly. “Uh-huh. I don’t believe you.”

She sighed. “Can I talk to you about something,” she glanced over her shoulder, “alone?”

He nodded. Eddie quickly stood. “I’ll go over here and talk to them.” He kissed Grace’s cheek. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“You’re very welcome,” she said with a smile.

“Is it you or Barry?” Joe immediately asked.

She shook her head and then shrugged. “Well, sort of.” She sighed. “Do you remember how I explained to you last weekend that Cisco and I were doing “experiments” on each other.”

“Which I think is still weird.”

She laughed. “However, there’s been a development.”

“What?”

“Well, you know that we’ve been staying at each other’s places at night, right?”

“Right, but Gracie, I really don’t want to hear about whether or not—”

“You won’t. We haven’t yet.” She waved him off dismissively. “Anyway. Um….things were progressing this morning with him and uh….” she looked around and then leaned into Joe. “….and nothing.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No flinging him across the room. No burning from the inside out, no catching him on fire. Nothing.”

He smiled and hugged. He can’t believe he’s actually hugging his daughter about being able to have sex. “That’s great, Gracie.”

She laughed softly. “Liar.”

He smiled. “I can’t help it. You’re my daughter.”

“I know,” she kissed his cheek. “Thanks for listening.”

“Always. Although, I do think it’s great that you’ll be able to have a real relationship.”

She smiled, nodding excitedly. “I know!” She kissed his cheek again, then glanced at her watch. “Staff meeting in ten minutes. Gotta go.” She kissed his cheek again and then as she walked toward the entrance said over her shoulder, “Oh, by the way, I’m officially dating Cisco now.”

* * *

 

“Where’s Barry?” Wells asked. “He’s late.”

“Late is kind of his signature move,” Caitlin reminded him.

“Hey, you guys want to see my signature move?” Cisco mumbled around a pen.

“Babe, no one wants to see your signature move.” Grace smiled cheekily at him. “I’m not even entirely sure I want to see it.”

Caitlin and Wells laughed softly.

Cisco smiled. “Hey!”

“Hi,” she said. She handed a coffee to Caitlin, then to Dr. Wells and then she walked the other to Cisco. She handed it to him, then started to walk away.

Cisco grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. He bent his head down and placed a kiss on her lips. He smiled as her eyes fluttered open. “Hi,” he said softly.

“H-H-Hi,” she stuttered. She cleared her throat and said, “And one for my brother whenever he decides to—”

The whoosh of Barry coming to a room happened and Grace’s smile fell when she seen that he a coffee. “I told you I was getting coffees.”

“Sorry. Forgot.”

“I could have stayed in bed for an extra twenty minutes, Barry.”

“Sorry.” He looked at everyone. “Sorry, guys. I got held up.”

Everyone looked at him, thoroughly unimpressed. He sipped his coffee. “You had to be there.”

“I'm gonna need a moment or two alone with Barry,” Dr. Wells to the room at large.

The other 3 stood and started heading out. Grace walked ahead of Cisco, keeping her head down. “You’ll have to tell me whose lectures are worse dad’s or Wells’,” she whispered as she walked past him.

“Ooh, you're in trouble,” Cisco said before easing out of the room.

“Now, may I remind you, Mr. Allen, we had an agreement…..”

* * *

 

Grace seriously felt like pulling her hair out. Why did reporters have to be so conceited? She pulled her phone out of her pocket and started heading for her office as she shot a text to Iris, just as Mason Bridge approached her.

“Change your mind.”

She sighed. “Mason, seriously, I’m not doing this,” she exhorted. “It **_won’t_** fit on the page. Either trim down the words or the picture. It’s up to you but either way it will not fit on the front page the way it is now. I’m sorry.” She opened her office door and walked through, stopping to look at Mason. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to meet my boyfriend and my brother for dinner.” She shut the door in his face.”

“Fine! I’ll just go to Eric!”

She opened the door one last time and said, “Do that, but he’ll tell you what I just told you. Besides, he’s dealing with paper stuff so I would choose this battle lightly, Mason.” She shut the door and looked down at Barry’s text:

**[From Barry]: Hey, new case. Meet at Lab. I think someone’s got electrocution abilities.**

**[To Barry]: Be right there. I have to make a stop and then I’ll be there. Twenty minutes.**

**[From Barry]: Okay. See you in a few.**

* * *

 

Barry walked into the lab and showed Caitlin and Cisco the picture. “Facial recognition software,” Cisco explained, “it's designed for archeologists, and it should help us ID your crispy corpse.”

“The question is, how did he get fried in the first place? Is there a metahuman out there that can control electricity?” Barry asked.

“It'd take a serious electrostatic discharge to cause that level of tissue damage,” Wells said.

“So, I have decided that Iris isn’t going to become a reporter anymore,” Grace announced as she walked in with a paper sack and two drinks. She slowed. “Did I interrupt something?”

Cisco shook his head as he spun in his chair to face her. “Nope. The software’s gotta do it’s thing now.”

Barry laughed. “Uh-oh, I’m almost afraid to ask. Why?”

“Because if she turns out to be as conceited as the jackass reporter I’ve spent my entire day arguing with then I may have to kill her.”

Barry winced and Cisco silently whistled. “Rough day?” Barry asked.

“Let’s just say that I could go for a really warm bubble bath right now, before I kill something.”

“Are those for me?” Cisco asked, smiling up at her.

She smiled and handed him a soda. “Your food is at the bottom of the bag and then my tacos. Please don’t eat them this time.”

“Not my problem that you left them in my fridge for two days,” he defended. “I keep telling you. You leave anything in my fridge for longer than a day it’s free reign after that, Sweetheart.”

“So, home disasters don’t take precedence over your urge to be a pig?”

Barry smirked. “Is this like your guys’ first fight?”

Cisco smirked. “Oh, this?” He smiled into the bag. “This isn’t an argument. This is your sister being…” He looked up at her. “How did Joan put it again?”

“Saucy,” she supplied. She sucked on her straw. She shrugged.

“Hold up,” Caitlin said. “Who’s Joan?”

“My downstairs neighbor,” Grace explained. “She had overheard one of our banters about six months ago and proceeded to explain to Cisco as he began to complain that I was getting cocky, that a woman wasn’t cocky, she was confidently saucy.”

They laughed. Caitlin nodded in agreement. “I like that. I may use it.”

“That’s it,” Cisco said, smiling. “So, how is Ricardo?”

“Good. Did you know that Juanita’s sick?”

He nodded. “Yeah. He told me that when I got lunch at the truck today.”

The computer beeped to inform that there was a match. Cisco turned back to the screen. “Guys, according to the software, there's an 82% chance your victim looked like this.”

They see the 3-D model sketch on the screen. Grace nodded. “Not bad. I could probably fix that make the outcome more like ninety.”

“82%?”

“Hey, it was zero when you walked in here, Pal,” Cisco sardonically said as Grace slapped Barry in the chest.

He rubbed his chest and then looked at Cisco. “Can you cross-reference that with the DMV database, maybe get a name?”

“Absolutely. This software can do just about anything now that Felicity reprogrammed it.”

“Oh….it’s Felicity’s software?” Grace asked, a wake of inadequacy flowing through her again and she had no idea why.

“Yeah,” Cisco said and then looked over his shoulder. He saw the look in her eyes and asked softly. “You okay?”

The cross-reference came back. “Casey Donahue. No wife. No kids. Used to work at the Petersburg electrical substation.”

“That can't be a coincidence,” Caitlin said looking over at the screen.

“That's weird.”

“What?”

“Someone just used his ID To enter the substation,” Cisco answered.

“The Petersburg grid is experiencing a power drain right now,” Caitlin said standing.

Grace put her drink down and kissed the top of Cisco’s head and raced after her brother.

“Barry, be...” He was gone before Wells could finish the sentence. “…..Careful.”

* * *

 

By the time that Grace got down to the substation, Barry had gotten caught in the electro-Meta’s field. “Flash!” she exclaimed.

“Whoa, what was that?” Cisco said into the comms. “Gracie?”

“He’s caught in the guy’s electro-field. I’ve got to break him free.”

“How?” Caitlin asked.

“I have an idea.”

“What?” Caitlin asked again.

“I’ll cause an earthquake,” she explained. “Make the ground to move, throw Electro-Goon off his feet.”

But before Grace could try anything, Barry broke free and got away from Electro-Goon. Grace caught up to him. She dropped to her knee. “You okay?”

He nodded, panting. He stood and attempted to speed off when Electro-Goon came around the corner. Barry got caught in his field again and she watched in horror as her brother groaned in pain.

Without thinking, she stayed on the ground, closed her eyes, putting her hands on the ground. She opened them as she felt the ground shifting. Knowing where to hit it _(thank you tectonic plate manipulation)_ Grace balled her hands into fists and slapped them to the ground. She looked up to see Electro-Goon wobble, but he didn’t go off balance.

She sighed. She tried again, this time harder and this time Electro-Goon and Barry lost their balance and fell. She rushed to her brother, tucking her hands under his armpits, and using her air manipulation and jet-propelled herself and Barry out of the way.

“Get out of there,” Wells told them.

“You okay?” Grace asked.

“Yeah,” said. “Thank you.”

She smiled. “Of course.”

He attempted to speed off, but nothing happened. He put a hand on a pole on one of the power structures and Grace walked to him. “You okay?”

“Run, Barry.”

“I can't. My speed...is gone.”

“Got him, guys,” Grace told them.

“But Grace, you’ve never carried anyone while flying,” Cisco said, urgently.

“I guess we’re about to find out if I can.” She tucked her hands under Barry’s armpits and used her air manipulation and jet-propelled herself into the air. She then pushed off of nothing in the air and started flying, holding Barry like a bird would with their talons. “Well, guys, I can carry someone. Either that or my brother seriously needs to gain weight.”

“Hurry back,” Wells told her.

“On our way, Doc.”

* * *

 

When they got back, Barry quickly changed into S.T.A.R. Labs’ logoed sweats and started running on the treadmill, while Grace paced back and forth. Nervously biting at her fingernail.

“He runs slow even for a normal person,” Cisco muttered.

Grace shot him a glare that he knew all too well would be the glare that told him he wouldn’t be getting laid that night—that is if they were there.

“You can't just lose your powers, okay?” Caitlin said, agitated. “Your DNA was transformed by the particle accelerator blast. There's no way to untransform DNA.”

“Yeah, tell that to Grace who had to carry me all the way here like a fucking hawk,” Barry uttered.

“So we were wrong.”

“Ya think!?” They all looked at her with incredulous expressions. “This metahuman doesn't electrocute people; he siphons electricity, thereby removing your power.”

“Do you actually ever say anything useful?”

“Grace!” Barry admonished.

She sighed. “Sorry. I’m worried, okay? I can’t do this by myself.”

“You’re okay, Grace,” Wells reassured her.

“All right, do we think this is temporary or—”

“We have to run tests.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I've got to warn Joe,” he said defeatedly.

He stood and started for the door, Grace following.

“Barry, we will find a way to restore your speed. I promise you that,” Wells vowed.

“Grace,” Cisco said. She sighed and looked at him. “Am I going to see you….you know?”

She exhaled. “Cisco….I….don’t know,” she said.

* * *

 

At CCPD, Barry and Grace had both finished explaining to Joe what had happened and how Barry lost his speed. Joe looked at Barry and then at his favorite mug. He picked it up and threw it on the floor. It shattered.

“You didn't catch it.”

“Dad!”

“I loved that mug! And what part of “a metahuman stole my speed” didn't you understand?”

He looked up at the ceiling and stood, walking around Barry as he said, “Barry, there's no part of anything you can do that I ever understand. What does Dr. Wells say?” He asked looking at him, nervously.

“He's working on it.”

“Barry, you have to get your speed back. Grace is right. She can’t do this alone. You two are like Central City’s own dynamic duo.”

Grace looked at her brother and pointed a finger at him as she said firmly, “I’m not Robin.”

Barry laughed softly.

“People in this city need protecting, and if you don't get your speed, how the hell are we gonna keep them safe?” He looked at Grace. “Sorry, Sweetheart.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’m feeling the same way.”

“Joe, the meta who stole my speed, he burned up the body we saw in the alley today. You need to tell the police not to confront him. He's dangerous.”

“Who’s dangerous?” Iris asked walking into Barry’s lab.

“No one, just some thief,” Joe lied.

“Well, criminals better watch out.” She put her hands on Barry’s shoulders. “Cops in Central City are the best there are,” she squeezed Barry’s shoulders, “and if you can't protect this city, dad, I know The Flash will.”

“What if he can't? What if he's gone?”

“Gone?” Iris asked confused.

“Barry,” Grace said softly.

“Yeah, or maybe he's just done, or maybe it's like whatever he could do before, he can't do anymore.”

“Huh?” She gave Grace a confused expression.

“Barry? Don't you have someplace to be?”

“Yeah, going.” He stood and walked out.

Grace flopped down in his seat, running her hands over her face.

Iris seen the shattered mug. “Aw, Barry loved that mug.” She looked at Grace. “You okay? You look like you’re about to cry?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“You and Cisco have a fight?”

She laughed wryly. “Why is it when I’m like this that someone thinks that my boyfriend and I are fighting?”

“Because that’s usually how it happens,” Joe reminded her. “At least with Josh.”

“Well, one, Josh was a dick. He lived to make me miserable. And two, Cisco isn’t Josh. He hates seeing me upset. Which is probably why I left him standing in S.T.A.R. Labs when I met up with him after work.” She looked up at Iris. “Stressful day. One of the reporters at work refuses to listen to me when I keep telling him that he either shortens his word count to fit the big ass picture that he wants on the front page or find a smaller picture.”

She smiled. “Well, I’m sure you’ll come out right in the end.”

She smiled wide. “Thanks, Sis.” She hugged her.

“Oh,” she cooed, hugging her tightly. “You’re welcome. You should talk to Cisco though. If you’re having a stressful day, leaving him at his work when you were supposed to meet isn’t going to make it better, but he might.”

She smiled, then sighed. “He’s just going to try and make it better.”

Joe chuckled with Iris. “That’s not entirely a bad thing, Gracie.”

She exhaled. “All right. You’re right. I’ll talk to him.” She picked up her purse and jacket. She pointed at Joe and then the shattered pieces of Barry’s mug. “Pick those up and I’ll see if I can put it back together.”

* * *

 

“Cisco.”

Cisco turned in his char and immediately began to stand. However, she walked to him very quickly and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and steadied himself. He turned his face into her hair. “You okay, Sweetheart?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “I’m sorry I left with Barry.” She sighed.

He smiled. “Oh, baby, it’s okay.”

She exhaled and stood in front of him.. “No its not. I keep forgetting that Barry’s not my only supporter in this. You are too.”

He smiled and pushed her hair out of her face. “I am, huh?”

She nodded. She wrapped her arms around his torso this time. “You have to know that I wouldn’t have gotten through the last ten months without you. You’re my rock.”

He gave a satisfied sigh. He kissed her hair. “You’re mine too, Gracie.”

“I don’t think I can save this city by myself, Cisco.”

“Yes, you can,” he encouraged. “You can do anything.”

She smiled and bent her head down, taking his mouth with hers. He moaned and pulled her closer. After a few breathless, deep kisses they came apart. “Wow….” He whispered. “Remind me to encourage you more often.”

She laughed softly. She kissed him again. “So, not really trying to change the subject here, but um…were the cameras working anywhere in the city while Barry and I were out there?”

“I think so, why?” She smiled, and he immediately caught on. He smiled and kissed her deeply. “Mmm! Baby, you’re amazing!”

“So, you keep saying,” she said, smiling.

He began typing information into the computer.

* * *

 

“Farooq Gibran.”

“Who?”

“He’s the Electro-Goon that took your powers,” Grace told him.

“Thanks to Grace’s incredible mind—”

Grace shrugged. “I’m the foster daughter of a cop. We all knew some of his knowledge would have worn off on me.”

Barry laughed. “You never cease to amaze, Gracie Beth.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

“I hacked into the surveillance footage from the Petersburg substation. Once I got his face, it was easy to find a match.”

“He climbed an electrical tower the night of the accelerator explosion,” Barry said, while reading.

“No surprise where his powers came from.”

They heard an alarm beeping and Cisco walked to the computer. “Is that a proximity alarm?” Grace asked walking to the desk from the other side.

“Yeah,” he said. He hit a key. “Oh, you've got to be kidding me. This is not happening.”

Grace looked at her brother. “Oh, look, Big brother, he followed us home.”

He laughed. “Cute.”

She shrugged. “I try.”

Outside, Farooq said, “Dr. Harrison Wells, I need to see you! Come on, I know you're inside. Open the door. I just want to talk, Dr. Wells. Wells! Let me in!”

He opened the power box and tore a couple of the cord out and inside they watched the lights flicker. Grace sighed. “I’m gonna get our suits out.” She walked to Barry’s case and pulled out the dummy and then took hers out. She took hers off the dummy and started to go get changed.

“Where’re you going?”

“Well, the power hungry douche isn’t going to leave, so, I’m going to make him.”

“By don’t what? You can’t do the tectonic plates thing again,” Caitlin pointed.

“I have many other powers, Doctor Snow. I’ll figure something out.”

“Wait, Grace,” Barry told her.

“Barry, I can’t wait. I’ve gotta do something or we’re all going to die.”

“I’m calling Joe,” he said and pulled his phone out. He tried a few times and then tried Captain Singh. Only to be told that Joe and Iris were in CCPD with a hostage situation. He hung up. “Joe and Iris are in trouble. There’s a hostage situation at the precinct.” He looked at the scientists. “I need my powers back now.”

“I have a theory. It's untested.”

“I'm willing to roll the dice.”

“Okay, you've lost your speed, yes, but nothing has changed inside you on a subatomic level. In other words, your cells are still primed.”

“They just need a jumpstart,” Cisco murmured.

“Like a car battery!” Grace exclaimed, slapping herself mentally for not coming up with it before all this.

“Okay, how do we do that? How do we jumpstart me?”

“We need to replicate the initial jolt to your system.”

“But that would mean a peak current of at least 20,000 kilo-amps,” Cisco informed Wells.”

“Are you insane? That's more electricity than they give to people in the electric chair.”

“Caitlin, with Farooq in the building, we're all looking at a death sentence here,” Wells told her.

“The spare generator's offline. If we reboot it, we could get a charge that big.”

“We need something that can transmit the load from the generator to Barry's body without shorting out,” Wells said.

“The treadmill. My baby could take the charge,” Cisco said confidently.

“I’ll try not to be offended by the fact that you’ve nicknamed the same thing you call your treadmill, Ramon.”

He smiled.

“What if Barry can't?”

“Well, that's up to Mr. Allen.”

“Grace, go to the precinct as Gaia. Take out Tockman.” He started heading out the doors.”

“What are you gonna do?” She asked.

“I'm gonna talk to him.”

“No. No,” Wells protested.

“Okay, you didn't see him at the substation. He needed to feed. I got super speed out of the particle accelerator blast, but his best friends died. He woke up with a disease.”

“Earlier today, you worked a crime scene where this metahuman electrocuted an innocent man. He's a murderer!” Wells stressed. “And you are powerless to defend yourself against him. And you’re sending away the one person who could help us.”

“He may just need help like I did. I don't need my powers to offer him that. I have to try,” Barry insisted. He looked at his sister. “Okay, Sis. This is all you. You go in there. Do your thing and save people. I’m gonna go help Farooq.”

She nodded. “I will try.”

He nodded and walked out. She quickly changed and flew out. She hovered watching the SWAT team and the Captain. She listened to Tockman’s demands and then looked down at Singh as he looked up. She smiled and nodded. She flew up and judged the best spot to get in. She seen Eddie go down and she put her hands on the window. It only took a few seconds to quietly bend to allow her inside. “Hey, Tockman. How about you aim that at someone who’ll actually fight you back.”

“Gaia!” Iris breathed.

He turned and started firing. She threw her hands up and the bullets started bouncing off an invisible shield.

He smiled. “Smart girl.”

“I’ve been called less, so how about you put the gun down and release the hostages, let Detective Thawne get medical attention, and then I’ll take you back to Iron Heights myself.”

“Nope.”

She sighed. “Come on, man. I don’t want to hurt you, but if you go after anymore of my friends I will.”

“Really?” He started toward her, but she pushed her hands out and he flew across the room.

She moved toward Eddie as Tockman began to get up. She knelt down beside him. She disguised her voice as she said, “You’ll be okay, Detective.”

Iris looked behind her and then looked at Grace. “Gaia!”

She threw her hand up again and he this time he floated in the air. She slid her eyes to Joe and he gave her an encouraging nod. She slammed Tockman to the ground. “I told you, Tockman. I don’t have qualms hurting you if it’ll keep my friends safe.” She narrowed her eyes and the walkie-talkie floated to her. She caught it, keeping Tockman pinned by pressing air on top of him. “Captain Singh, Sir?”

“Sir?” Singh said. “You’re the hero and you’re calling me ‘sir’?”

She smiled. “My dad taught me well,” she said sliding her eyes to Joe. “Detective Thawne has been shot. Please have paramedics standing by. This will be all over in about ten minutes.”

Tockman grunted. She kept her hand raised and finished talking to Singh and walked over to Joe and Iris. She looked at them both. “Give me a few minutes to put him someplace and I will be right back.” She smiled at everyone. “You will all be freed in about five minutes. I promise.” She looked at the officers. “Extra handcuffs?”

“There,” one of them said.

She smiled and walked over to the desk as she heard Tockman struggle. “Dude, you do that anymore and you’re seriously going to break something. Stop.”

She got the handcuffs and took him by the collar. “Get up!” She hauled him to his feet and walked him to the supply closet that had no windows. She threw him inside and put handcuffs on him. She looked at Joe. “I’m going to get you and your daughter free. As long as the paramedics get inside, you should be able to get him to a doctor in time. And don’t worry about Tockman, he can’t go anywhere in there. The door will have to be busted down however.”

She burnt through the restraints and Iris ran to Eddie. She helped Joe to his feet. “Can you get the rest?”

He nodded. “Yes. Thank you, Gaia.”

“You’re welcome, Detective. Get him to a doctor before he loses anymore blood.”

“I will, I promise.”

She flew out and headed for S.T.A.R. Labs. She landed just outside and put her hand to the door and it came open. She walked inside. “Barry! Cisco!”

“Grace! Garage!” Cisco yelled.

She quickly changed and then ran into the garage. She stopped when she seen the scene. Farooq laying dead, Barry looking exhausted, Caitlin and Cisco looking freaked out and Doctor Wells, out of his wheelchair. She walked to his wheel chair and looked it over after trying to start it and realized it was dead. She smiled. “Give me a second.” She touched the base of the battery and it recharged. She then helped Cisco lift him and they put him back in the chair. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Thank you, Grace.”

“You’re welcome, Dr. Wells.” She looked at her brother and pulled him to his feet. “Ready to go see Dad and Iris.”

He nodded and he quickly changed. They left.

* * *

 

They walked into the precinct and Barry looked around. He saw Eddie being wheeled out and then looked around for Joe and Iris. He found them on the stairs. Iris smiled. “Hey, Barry, Grace! I met Gaia!”

“Who?” Grace asked smiling. She walked up the stairs to her dad and hugged him. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She looked at Iris. “Both of you.”

“Thanks to Gaia we all are,” Iris told her. “She was amazing. You could kinda tell she wasn’t used to doing anything without the Flash, but that’ll stay our secret for my blog.”

She laughed. “You’re gonna blog about this girl’s great rescue?”

She nodded. “She deserves it. She actually threw someone across a room, Grace! Like literally threw him across the room. And then she lifted her hand like this,” she demonstrated, “and slammed him to the ground. And then with keeping her hand raised she was able to keep him on the floor. I’m not exactly sure how, but it was cool either way. That’s when she called Captain Singh and told him that Eddie’d been shot.”

“Yeah, we saw that,” Grace said. “Will he be okay?”

Joe nodded. “Yeah. He’ll be fine.” He smiled at Grace and Barry. “It was really amazing to see her in action by herself.”

* * *

 

In the morning, they decided to go to the hospital. However, before they left, Grace announced, “I’ve decided two things.”

“Which are, Miss Allen.”

“One, Barry and I need a way to get in touch with each other when there’s a power outage and/or we’re in the field. Something tells me that won’t be the only that happens. And two, we are so training me in my powers. Like seriously, I kinda felt like when I was five and you taught me to ride my bike behind dad’s back, Barry.”

He laughed and kissed her forehead. “I promise. We will train you, Gracie.”

“Good, because if that happens again that I go one place and you go the other I want to be able to know exactly all I can do without relying on the ones I know.”

He nodded. “Right. You’ll get there.”

She sighed. It was nice knowing that even if she hadn’t developed any software yet for anything, that she finally found a place in the field as something other than the Flash’s sidekick.


	13. Body On Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (This Chapter takes place the morning OF the beginning of the Arrow vs. the Flash)
> 
> Cisco and Grace finally consummate their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little smutty chapter to start off your week.

Grace and Cisco were on date number…what was it?

She didn’t fucking know. All she really knew is she wanted the man naked and on top of her. They’d just spent the evening in a restaurant, talking and flirting until the restaurant employees kicked them out. And on the taxi ride home, they’d made out the entire ride to her place. Grace put the key in the lock and unlocked the door. She looked up at Cisco and almost panted out, “Please tell me you’re staying?”

Cisco looked down into her mesmerizing baby blues and nodded. “Wild dogs couldn’t drag me away.”

“Oh, thank God….” She said and fisted her hand into his shirt and pulled him inside.

Cisco pushed the door shut as he tumbled inside. He righted himself and then claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss. Moments later, they were both panting and peeling off their jackets. He looked into her eyes again, seeing the darkening irises as passion seemed to have taken over. “Are we really going to do this?”

“Yes!” she said, probably a little too enthusiastically as she pulled her heels off.

He laughed softly, toeing his own shoes off and then pulling off his blazer and dropped it on the floor. He pulled her to him and deepened the kiss. He wrapped one hand, fingers and all into the mass of curls as he pulled her closer. He brushed his tongue across her bottom lip to get her to open her mouth. She sighed and he swept his tongue inside. God, this girl was going to be the death of him.

She moved her hands to his chest and tried to feel his heat, that amazing chest she’d felt while they slept or made out and whimpered when she just felt his dress shirt. She had to touch him. She just had to. She had to feel him. She moved to his waistband of his slacks and rolled his shirt up to touch his skin. She grunted when her fingertips brushed his abs and she felt his heat. Feeling her touching him sent him to the brink. “Take that damn thing off,” she commanded.

“You too,” he grunted as he began unbuttoning his shirt.

She turned with her back to him and asked, “Unzip me?”

He quickly jerked the zipper down and she turned, as she pushed the dress down her body. She let it pool there on the floor in the living room. He knew others would probably say they’re moving too fast but he didn’t give a shit. He’d been waiting almost a year to make love to her. And now he could honestly say that’s what he felt. He might not tell her that yet, but he could certainly show her.

His cock instantly hardened at the sight of her amazing body in just a lacy red bra and lace panties. He quickly pulled the shirt off after he had unbuttoned it and threw it on the floor. She felt the shiver of desire run through her at the sight of his bare chest staring at her. She felt her finger itching to touch, her nails itching to scratch.

Still in his dressed pants, he came to her instantly, lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he claimed her mouth, and carefully, but deliberately walked to her bedroom, knowing her apartment like he knew his own. They walked to the bed and he fell onto the bed, breaking the kiss for only mere moments before reclaiming each other’s mouths.

She had never felt the urge to seduce someone before, but with Cisco he made it so easy. He made her _want_ to do these things. To make feel desired and wanted. She quickly rolled him onto his back and then gave him a quick drugging kiss. She moved off of him by moving down his body, unbuckling his pants as she moved downward. He blindly lifted his hips and she pulled the pants off, along with his underwear and threw them on the floor.

Her stomach flipped with anticipation and excitement as she looked down at his well-proportioned cock. She felt her insides tingle, her thighs warming. She crawled up his body and kissed him again.

“That’s not exactly fair that I’m naked before you.”

She laughed softly and kissed him again. “I thought you’d have more fun stripping me.” She smiled, kissing him again, straddling him. She straightened and rocked back and forth on him. God, he couldn't think straight with her mimicking what he wanted to do to her. He felt himself get harder, which had to be a trick in itself because he was already hard enough to hammer nails. "Gracie...." he groaned.

“I love it when you call me that,” she whispered, grinding her hips into him.

"Oh, fuck...." he grunted as he rolled his head back.

She smiled as she felt his extremely hard erection bob between them. God, how she wanted him. She gasped when she felt his cock shift slightly against her heat as she sat up to take her bra off. He looked up to watch her for a moment, his eyes already blurry with desire as he watched her flick her bra off to reveal her perfect breasts.

She felt that feeling in the pit of her stomach again as she leaned forward, that heat that was like a mound of molten lava beginning to explode. She bent her head down and took his mouth in one hot, wanton moment. He rolled her on to her back and deepened the kiss, molding her into the mattress. She pressed her body into his, she had to feel him against her....badly. It was almost as strong as breathing. Which she seemed to have stopped at some point during this little seductions. To which she lost control of.

He broke the kiss and almost came unglued when she whimpered. He began kissing down her chin, her neck. He had never wanted a woman like he wanted her, like he needed her. What in the hell was with her that he felt he needed the connection of them? He continued his blaze of hot kisses down her body and felt himself get harder and the need get stronger with each of her moans.

She closed her eyes as she felt his lips everywhere on her body, the sweet sensations overtaking her. "Cisco.....please....."

"I will," he whispered as he dipped his tongue into the dimple of her bellybutton.

She gasped with need at the feel of his hot, wet tongue on her skin. "Shit...." she felt the warm heat between her legs and almost sighed. He wasn't even inside of her and all they were doing was kissing and touching and she was almost there. She felt his tongue dip again and she almost lost it. "Cisco!"

He dipped his head down to take one of her very hard and erect nipples into his mouth.

"Oh, God...." she cried out as she felt the heat of his mouth on her skin, suckling her nipple into submission. He moved to her other one and she was lost. There was no way she could be even more turned on than this moment. She could feel the familiar ball of warmth that formed in her belly, which was a definite indication that she was very much almost there. "Baby, please...."

He stopped the assault on her perfect breasts and leaned back on his feet as he positioned himself between her legs. He spread her apart and smiled when he seen her glistening with need for him. He caressed her with a couple of swift touches of his fingers against her inner thigh, close to her heat.

Her orgasm was instant, and earth shattering. Was it possible for someone to implode from an orgasm? Because if not she had just become a medical study. Trying desperately to find a coherent thought to say something to him, she just panted, She couldn’t find one.

He slowly dipped his finger inside of her.

"Holy fuck!" she said as she felt the first aftershock beginning when he slipped his finger inside of her. "How do you do that?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

Finding her center, he curled his finger and flicked. She fisted her hands into her blankets and cried out, which was actually more of a scream. She bowed as she felt the sensational pleasure of his finger playing with her g-spot.

Watching her had to be the most erotic thing he had ever witnessed in his life. He was absolutely sure his balls were now blue with holding back. He knew he couldn't do much more of that or he was for sure going to break something. He smiled satisfyingly as another, much larger orgasm overtook her and she screamed again. He slowed the flicking as she came down from the orgasm.

"Oh....my....God....." she panted.

Without giving her time to come completely down from her orgasm he slammed hard into her and she gasped. Fire bolts of desire raging through her as white light shot through the back of her eyes. She couldn't remember ever feeling something so right as the feel of him filling her, stretching her. She groaned with satisfaction.

He waited only for a few minutes before he started moving, first slowly and then faster. "Damn," he whispered into her hair. He couldn't have stopped now if he wanted to.

He pushed deeper into her and laid forward. His hips pistoned deeper and deeper into her until he was for sure soul to soul. Hearing her small gasps, groans and little whimpers kept pushing him into an erotic rhythm that was just their own.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him as she felt his movements urged her higher and higher. With each thrust of his body, she responded with both a thrust of her own and a tremor. “Oh, God…Cisco. That feels…” she moaned as they moved in tandem, “…amazing…”

He deepened his thrust and went harder. In that moment all that was heard was grunts, pants, erotic screams, the thumping of her bed hitting the wall and the erotic sound of their bodies coming together repeatedly. Moments later, she felt her entire body tighten as a full body orgasm took her. She screamed his name as she felt him stiffen, grunt and felt the glorious feeling of him releasing inside of her. After completely draining inside of her, he collapsed into her stomach and let himself come down from his own euphoria.

After a few minutes, he rolled off of her and stared up at the ceiling. After a few moments of silent breathing, he said, “That was incredible.”

“Amazing,” she breathed. She rolled onto her side and curled in closer. “It’s never been like that before,” she whispered into the moonlit room.

“For me either,” he admitted as he ran his fingers through her dark hair. “You were definitely the first one I’ve done commando with.”

She smiled into his chest. “Me too.” She kissed his chest. “Stay the night?”

Kissed her hair. “Planned on it, Beautiful.”

They moved up the bed to get under the covers. Once they were under the covers, he pulled her to him and held her. “I might wake you up later to do it again.”

She laughed into his arm and said, “You better.”

Within moments, they were both asleep….sleeping the best they had for the past 10 months.


	14. Author's Note!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE STOP READING THIS STORY AFTER THIS POINT AND AFTER YOU READ THE NOTE FROM ME.

As you all know, I had originally planned on Grace and Cisco being together. However, last year during season 6 it was rumored that Carlos(Cisco) would be leaving the show to pursue other interests. So, I scrambled because there went my whole original plan. However, as we all know, he's not going anywhere. So, I will be rewriting from Chapter 14: Team Flash vs Team Arrow, Part 1 and going from there.

I will be deleting chapters 14-33 as I write, that is why I placed this note here so that you know where to stop. This note will be updated as I finish each chapter. thank you for time and patience. I appreciate it immensely.

There will be definite changes happening between Grace and Cisco. THEY WILL BE STAYING TOGETHER even if I have to rewrite certain scenes for them to stay together this time around. The lude comments he makes about other women with Grace around will be rewritten. I hadn't realized I had done some of the things to their relationship that I had done until I re-read. I apologize. So, please, come back re-read the chapters.

                                ****Thank you, QueenAllen1982****


	15. Team Flash vs Team Arrow, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Flash has a meta-human who's inciting rage with people or officials to commit crimes. Team Arrow comes to town to chase down a guy who's killing people with a weirdly made boomerang. The 2 teams decide to partner up to help each other take down their bad guys. How will they fight it when it happens to one of their own?
> 
> After their incredible date the night before Cisco and Grace hit a slight snag when Grace's insecurities rear their ugly heads.

Cisco awoke that morning at about 6am and knew he’d have to get up and get out the door so he could get ready for the day. But he hated to leave Grace. After last night, he actually felt like he didn’t want to ever leave. However, he had a job and no clothes at her apartment (they might have to change that now), so he had to get up.

He quickly dressed and then wrote her a quick note, laid it on the pillow he used last night, which was the right side of the bed and then kissed her temple. “Bye, Baby.”

“Bye,” she whispered into the pillow as he walked out.

 

Awhile later, Grace rolled to turn the alarm off when the sound of paper crinkling caught her attention. She looked down at it and smiled:

**Hey, Gracie,**

**Last night was amazing! The entire date—from start to finish.**

**Have a good day at work. I’ll see you in the lab. And we’ll have to definitely talk about changing up our sleepovers.**

**XOXO—Cisco.**

She chuckled and tapped the alarm off. She rolled onto her back, sighing at the ceiling. She was in love. She could admit it. She was madly in love with a scientist. And an amazing man too. She couldn’t believe it. She exhaled and got up to get ready for her day.

* * *

 

As she was about to walk out the door, she got a text message from Iris. She read it:

**[From Iris]: Got another picture of the Flash, but weird thing is I don’t see his sister.**

Her heart plummeted. She texted her back. **[To Iris]: Maybe she had something to do.**

She locked up her apartment and headed for her. She made her usual stop at Jitters, and ordered her usual, then headed to the office. At lunch time, she made another stop at Jitters and ordered coffees for everyone, Joe and Eddie’s too. She decided to chance it and ordered one for Barry this time. She drove to the precinct. She got out of her car and walked into the building.

As she walked toward where Barry and Iris stood looking into Captain Singh’s office. “What’s going on?”

“Apparently Eddie’s trying to convince Singh that the Flash and his sister, Gaia…” he looked at Iris. “…was it?”

“Yeah,” she said nodding.”

“Is a public menace,” he finished. He smiled when he seen the coffees in the cupholder. “One for me?”

“Yeah. Decided chance it this time and see if you got your fix yet.” She pointed to his. She then turned to Iris. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Iris said smiling. “Thank you though. Eddie and I are going out to lunch, I’m good.”

She nodded. The door to the captain’s office opened and Eddie and Joe walked out. Iris confronted Eddie. So, after weeks of my trying to convince you that The Flash is real, now that you finally do believe me, you're trying to have him arrested? What the hell?”

Eddie looked over at Barry, who sat in an empty detective’s chair. “Thanks, Barry.”

“Sorry.”

“No worries. The Captain shot me down. Look, I'm not feeling like lunch.”

Grace held out a coffee to him. He accepted, but didn’t say thank you. “See you later,” he said.

Iris watched him leave. “He's just jealous.”

“Of the Flash? Should he be?”

“No.”

Grace shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean my boyfriend might be too. He is kinda cute if you have a vivid imagination though. Since we can’t see his face really.”

Barry laughed to himself.

Iris smiled. “I'll see you later.”

Joe looked at him and then at Grace. “You two need to get to S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“Yeah, I will. After I eat.”

She laughed to herself. “Dad.”

He took the coffee. “Thank you, Sweetheart.”

“Um…so…me and Cisco are _officially_ officially together.”

Joe looked at her face and seen the expression. That was Grace’s ‘You know what I mean’ face. He smiled. “Good, Sweetheart. I’m glad that you know all that you do.”

She took off for S.T.A.R. Labs.

* * *

 

Grace folded her arms in front of her and crossed her one leg over the other as she waited for the scientists take on what’s happening. Barry looked at his sister and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She shrugged. “I’m trying to decide whether to be angry that no one called me this morning about the robbery or just let it go.”

Barry looked at Cisco and then at his sister. “Look, Kiddo, you’re not going to be able to come to every bad thing that happens—”

“Barry, Iris noticed.”

“What?”

“She noticed that Gaia wasn’t there and she asked me about it. And I had no idea what to tell her because I honestly didn’t know why my alter ego wasn’t there either. What do you suppose I should have told her, you two?”

Both the men in her life looked down. Cisco sighed. “We didn’t think it was going to be an issue.”

“Right, and I’d completely agree with you on that, but babe, people apparently notice when the Flash’s sidekick—”

“You’re not my sidekick,” Barry immediately corrected.

“Sorry. When his partner doesn’t show up,” she said. “Now, I don’t want to be set dressing we already talked about that and I know I’ve helped a lot over the last few weeks, but obviously the Central City dynamic duo is making a bigger impact than we thought they would. So, I might have to be everywhere you are, Big Brother.”

Barry nodded. “Okay. We’ll figure this out.” He looked at her, “But Kiddo, we’re new at this too. We’re just beginning to figure out where everyone fits.”

She nodded. “I know. That’s why I said I was trying to decide whether to be mad. I’m not mad. I didn’t think Gaia would have made that big of an impact either. To be honest I thought people would have just saw myself as a sidekick and leave it at that. Then Iris asked me about why she wouldn’t have been there and it made realize that people _would_ notice.”

Wells wheeled inside the room saying, “Anger, hate, aggression.”

“A Jedi craves not these things,” Cisco said in his best imitation of Yoda. Grace laughed, but that was about all the reaction he got. “No one is feeling that quote?”

Grace smiled. “Not particularly.”

“Everyone in the bank went total savage for, like, five minutes. And then they were fine again.”

“Any memory of what they were thinking before the indescribable rage came on?”

He shook his head. “No. None at all. One girl that Eddie was interviewing kept saying she had no idea why she did it because she would hurt anybody.”

“Anger can be a powerful emotion. If this meta-human can engender irrational feelings of anger in his victims, he can do a lot of damage,” Wells informed.

“Yeah, but besides to be able to steal money from the bank why would he want to invoke that kinda rage on people?” Grace asked.

“Good question, Miss Allen.”

She shrugged. “Well, I did take a journalism class or two. We learned to ask questions.” She winked at the doctor.

“Detective West helped get a copy of the CAT scans the hospital did on everyone at the bank,” Caitlin said and put the thumbdrive into the base. The scans popped up on the screen.

“Holy shit,” Grace muttered. “The whole entire side of the brain that deals with emotion is lit up like a Christmas tree.”

“Well, look at this. Grace is right. The emotion centers of the brains are still showing signs of being overwhelmed.”

“Particularly the area that controls executive function,” Caitlin explained. “That's the part of the brain that stops people from doing whatever random and potentially destructive thing that pops into their head.”

“How do you think the meta does it to them?” he asked looking at them.

“That's the 1/2 million dollar question,” she said as Barry’s phone vibrated.

He looked at the message on it and then looked at everyone. “Hey, if you guys figure it out, just give me a call, okay?”

“Is The Flash off to another rooftop rendezvous with Iris?”

“No,” he lied. He seen the look on their faces. “Yeah, but she probably just wants to ask me... I mean, you know, him... about meta-human stuff for her blog.”

“Do you want some advice?”

Grace even exhaled with her brother, getting a little irritated herself at the fact that Caitlin kept trying to stop it.

“No matter what I say, I'm getting the advice, right?”

“Don't get involved. As the Flash or yourself. You don't want to be the one to blame for their breakup.”

“Okay. I hear you.”

“However….”

Barry stopped and turned to his sister. “How would either of them get involved? If Iris allows either Flash or Barry in the middle of her relationship issues with Eddie, then that’s Iris’ problem—”

“Spoken like someone who hasn’t had a serious—”

Grace opened her mouth to say something, but Barry stopped her by saying to Caitlin, “Hey, that’s not fair. And if you must know she’s had serious relationships And she’s currently in one now.” Barry shook his head at her. “Don’t do that crap.”

“What?”

“Antagonize my sister like that. She has a point and we all know it. I’m Iris’ best friend. To Iris that’s all I’ll ever be.”

“But as the Flash?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Grace smiled up at her brother. “Thank you. She could also want to warn the Flash about Eddie wanting to make that Task Force.”

He nodded. “True.” He kissed her hair. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Barry left and Grace looked at everyone. “I’m out.”

“What?” Caitlin asked.

“I’ve got a meeting with the owner of the paper. I have to go.” She walked to where she put her stuff and kissed Cisco goodbye. “Call me later.”

He nodded. “Will do.” He glared at Caitlin.

“What?”

“Did you wake up and decide to be a bitch to my girlfriend this morning?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, okay? I hadn’t realized you and Grace were all that serious, Cisco.”

He sighed. “Bull. You both have known how I felt about her from the beginning.” He sighed. “Just stop with the antagonistic remarks, okay? I’m beginning to think you get like that when all eyes aren’t on you or when Grace actually makes an intelligent remark.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Cisco picked up his tablet and looked at his friend. “I’m sorry that my girlfriend isn’t stupid for you to feel like the smartest person in the room. Get used to it, because she’s not going anywhere.” He walked out.

* * *

 

By nightfall, Grace was walking out of the building for the paper when her phone beeped. She answered, “Yeah.”

“Hey, Baby, the police got a ping off the tracers that was put inside the money from the robbery.”

“Where?”

He recited the address and she jumped and flew to S.T.A.R Labs. She quickly changed and then flew to the address, getting there this time at the same time as the Flash. She smiled. “Hey, that’s a first.”

He smiled. “I gave you a few minutes.”

She laughed softly. “Thanks for that.”

When she and Barry got to the building, they saw bullets flying from the shotgun at Joe and his guys. She propelled forward and took out two of the SWAT guys, while Barry took Joe and the others. The bullets splintered through the wood.

Gaia stood and was about to throw up a force field when two arrows went into Certo’s shoulders. Gaia and Flash turned to see the Arrow standing on a wooden crate and the Sparrow stood in the window. (she was putting her batons into her holster behind her back).

Flash and Gaia smiled. Sparrow smiled at Gaia. “Awesome suit.”

“Nice mask,” Arrow said and then they both were gone.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, in a remote part of town, Team Arrow stood outside an abandoned house waiting for something. Felicity was drinking from her large Big Belly Burger cup, while Nick paced to keep warm, while Dig also drank from his Big Belly Burger cup. “It's kinda comforting to know that no matter what city you go to, Big Belly Burger is always going to taste like Big Belly Burger,” she said smiling.

“You mean full of grease and salt?”

“I thought those were the secret ingredients,” she said kind of matter-of-fact.

Nick laughed as the sound of approaching motorcycle engines were heard. “They’re back.”

Just then the Flash appeared. “By the way, I gave Oliver, like, 1/2 hour head start.”

“It doesn’t really count when you can go faster than the speed of sound, Big Brother.” Gaia landed gracefully.

“Hi, Barry.” She smiled.

“Hey, Felicity. How you doing, Dig?”

John seemed very stunned by Barry’s abilities. “You're fast.”

“Did you guys not tell him about me?”

Felicity chuckled. “You kidding? You know who my daughter is, right?”

He laughed. “Right.”

“But I guess, seeing is believing, or...drooling.”

Oliver and Lexy pulled up into the mud. She pulled her helmet off and her golden hair fell around her shoulders. She put the helmet on her bike and then ran to Barry. She hugged him. “Mmm!”

He hugged her back just as tightly. “Hey. How have you been?”

“I’m good. Really good. By the way, it kinda sucks that you can go that fast when daddy and I left town before you.”

He laughed. “Yeah. I’m never late again.”

Grace scoffed. “Right.” She smiled at Lexy. “Hi, Lexy.”

“Hi, Grace. Seriously, nice suit, but aren’t you cold?”

She shook her head. “Nope. The joys of being able to control the Earth’s elements is that cold and heat doesn’t bother me anymore.”

“Lucky,” Nick said, now jumping up and down to get his blood flowing.

Lexy smiled. She looked at Nick. “I told you to wear a thicker jacket.”

“And I said I’m fine.”

Oliver laughed. “Right.”

She turned to their friends and then looked at Nick. “Nicky, this is Barry and his sister Grace or as they are now, the Flash and Gaia.” She smiled at them. “This is my boyfriend, Nick.”

Grace smiled. “Ahh…this is Nick.” She walked up to the kid and held out her hand, he took it. “Very nice to meet you.”

He felt the instant warmth go from his hand throughout his body. “You too. Thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome.”

Barry looked at his friend. “Hey, thanks for showing up back there, but I had that.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What, I was getting ready to make my move.”

“What move? The one to the morgue?”

Grace laughed. “I like you.”

Oliver laughed. “Thanks, but I’m engaged.”

“And I have a boyfriend.” She smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest. “And besides, you’re not exactly my type.”

“Billionaires aren’t your type?” Nick said smiling.

She shook her head. “Not really. It would seem that I like scientists who are slightly socially awkward.”

Felicity laughed. “Yeah, try being with him.” She nodded to Oliver. “I’m still trying to figure out where the suave and debonair description came from.”

Lexy laughed. “Before the island, mom. After the island, is when he became slightly socially awkward.”

Oliver laughed. “Yes, thank you, Lex.”

She shrugged. “Just trying to help.”

Grace smiled. “Well, she definitely has your smile.”

Oliver smiled. “Thanks.

“Wait, so what are you guys doing in Central City?” Barry asked.

“Working a case.” Felicity knelt down and grabbed the boomerang that was in a bag. “Suspicious homicide in Starling where the murder weapon is a boomerang.”

Barry pulled the boomerang out of the bag. “Cool.”

Oliver shot him a look. Grace laughed.

“I mean, awful.”

“I found traces of iron oxide on it. I know it's a long shot, but Central City has the highest concentration of iron oxide in the country.”

“That is very true,” Grace said.

“Did you know Australian aboriginals use boomerangs to hunt? Mainly on kangaroo, which is a surprisingly low-fat source of pro—”

Oliver cleared his throat. Grace snickered. “And my brother, the leader who quotes random facts when he’s nervous.”

Oliver chuckled. “We were following up a lead when we heard the S.W.A.T. Raid over the radio, and I thought that I would come by...watch you make your move,” Oliver teased.

Dig still looked stunned, finally spoke, “I had a cousin got hit by lightning once. He just developed a stutter.”

“Huh,” Barry said. “Well, my team, Grace and I are after a nasty meta-human who makes people angry.”

“Cool,” Felicity said.

“Yeah, it’d be even cooler if we could figure out how he does it.”

Oliver looked at her too.

“I mean, awful.”

Lexy laughed. “Oh, come on, daddy, really. Stop being such an adult.”

He smiled. “I am an adult, Lex.”

“And I know you can let loose. I’ve seen it.”

He smiled. “I’ll try.”

Barry looked at the team. “Uh, well, since you guys are here, why don't we team up?”

“Ooh! That could be fun!” Lexy exclaimed.

Barry smiled. “I'll help you find your boomerang man, you can help me find my super rageaholic.”

“We'd love to.”

“No, we'll handle our business and head home,” Oliver concluded.

“Oh, daddy, you’re no fun.”

Nick laughed and put an arm around her waist.

He looked at Lexy. “The joys of being a parent. You don’t have to be fun.”

Her brow furrowed. “You know I think I liked you better when you weren’t the CEO of a company.”

He laughed. Nick kissed her head.

“The fastest way to find out everything we need to know about the boomerang is to sic S.T.A.R. Labs on it,” Felicity pointed out.

“Enough people know my secret identity,” Oliver countered.

“Fine... I'll go. They already know who I am. You can drop me off, and I will meet up with you later,” Felicity said.

“Daddy, can I go?”

He thought about it for a second. “Yeah, baby, go ahead.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “You’re the best.”

He laughed. “Take Nicky with you.”

Barry came over to Felicity. “How 'bout I give you a lift?”

She yelped as he sped off. Dig watched and then looked at Oliver. “Man, that's not freaking you out?”

Lexy and Nick got onto her bike and sputtered out of the mud. Grace jumped in the air and looked down at the men. “Nice to meet you both.”

“You too, Grace,” Oliver said.

“Let's go.”

* * *

 

When Barry got Felicity to S.T.A.R. Labs, the friction and speed caught her shirt on fire and she quickly took it off. That’s how Caitlin, Cisco, Grace, Lexy and Nick entered. Nick quickly covered his eyes. “Fe!”

“Mom!” Lexy rushed to her. “What happened?”

“Friction,” Grace said. “Caught her clothes on fire. It happens to Barry sometimes when he’s in regular clothes. It especially happens to his shoes.”

“I'm glad I decided not to go braless,” Felicity said off-handedly.

Lexy laughed. “That’s always a good idea, mom.”

“You guys remember Felicity?” Barry said.

“I'll always remember this,” Cisco said.

Caitlin quickly grabbed a S.T.A.R. Labs shirt. Barry looked at Cisco. “Dude!”

Cisco turned to Grace. “Oh, I mean—”

“Nope,” Grace said. “Really not in the mood right now to hear you stutter your way out of the fact that you were just checking out another girl in front of me. Actually, not in front me since you didn’t even notice I was here.”

“Baby—”

She looked at him and said, “Not now.”

Caitlin smiled at Felicity.. “Hi, Felicity, it's so good to see you. What brings you back to Central City? Not Barry?”

“No, not Barry.” She shook her head. “Not happening. I’m engaged now. Actually, I'm here... because of this.” She pulled out the boomerang.

“Awesome! What are the wings made of?” Cisco said excitedly.

“Not sure... I'm thinking some sort of composite or high-density plastic—”

“Reinforced with carbon fiber. Oh, that's weird. It almost feels like it's—”

“Vibrating. Yeah.” They walked into another part of the lab. “Oh, I wanna run some tests, and I wanna run 'em right now!”

“Mm-hmm.”

Grace exhaled slowly. Caitlin looked at her. “You gonna be okay?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She looked at Lexy and Nick. She pulled off her mask and pushed her fingers through her hair. “I always knew I was going to compete with the science. That’s a give in, but…”

“The girls were another story,” Lexy said.

She turned. “How’d you guess?”

“Because it’s what he has to deal with too,” Lexy answered. “I’m surrounding by good-looking guys a lot.” She pointed at Barry. “Case in point.”

“How do you guys do it?” Grace asked.

“One person at a time,” Nick answered.

She sighed. “See even fourteen year olds have it figured out.” She sighed. “But to actually ignore the fact that I was in the room while he was checking out a half clothed woman?”

Nick cleared his throat. “Well, in his defense, she was standing in the lab with her bra on.”

“Babe, that’s not what she means,” Lexy said. “What she means is that when mom was standing there in her bra, the fact that Grace actually said something went completely unnoticed by the guy. It’s like she didn’t even exist.”

He knew when to shut up, because even with his words he could get in trouble with his own girlfriend. “Oh, well, I can’t help with that.”

“And then add on to the fact that she already feels insecure by Felicity’s brain—”

“Caitlin!” Grace exclaimed, mortified.

Lexy nodded. “I could see that.” She seen the look on Grace’s face. “What I mean is because mom’s so used to being the smartest person in the room. Sometimes it’s hard for her to let others be the one with the answers.” She smiled. “Just talk to him. Tell him it made you feel this way or that.”

“Hey, you guys come up with anything new on our meta?”

Caitlin told them what she found out. “The officer who was affected tonight says he saw a flash of red before he lost control. I suspect the meta is inducing rage via the ocular nerve. Oh, Dr. Wells wants to see you, both.”

Both Barry and Grace slowly walked into the room where Joe and Wells sat. “Why do I feel like I just got called into the principal's office?”

“Starling City vigilante.”

“He calls himself “The Arrow” now.”

“Oh, does he... “Flash”?”

“Wait, what's the problem?”

“We don't trust him.”

“You guys don't even know him.”

“I know that he was wanted for murder in at least 12 different cases dating back three years.”

“I know there's been at least two major terrorist attacks in Starling since he became active.”

“All right, but the cops there are cool with him now. He doesn't kill people anymore.”

Outside the room, Lexy could hear what they were saying about her father and she was hurt and angry by their words.

“And what about all the criminals that he put arrows through? Those, what, don't count?”

“He's a hero, Joe.”

“You're a hero, Barry. You offer protection, hope, light. What that man does is carry out a dark reckoning for his city,” Wells told him.

“You’re wrong.”

Joe and Wells both turned to see Lexy standing there. She lifted her brows at both of them. “Miss Queen.”

“Queen?” Joe asked.

“Yes, I’m Alexandra Queen. The daughter of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak. And the partner to the Arrow.” She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Joe become increasingly more uncomfortable. “You know, he may not have superpowers like Grace and Barry, to be able to be a ‘hero’, but a hero comes in many forms.” She looked at Joe. “Some may say you’re a hero, Detective. And you shoot people too. So, because you carry a badge and have taken an assessment test of your skills it qualifies you to do so?”

“Well, yes, basically.”

She rolled her eyes. “Look, you’re not out there with us every night. You have no idea what we’ve seen out there. The Arrow has done some good in the City. True, he went about the whole thing the wrong way, but he’s better now…because of me.”

“He’s killed people, Lexy!” Joe insisted.

“So have I!” she exclaimed. “I almost had to kill one of my best friends because of one of those damn terrorist attacks you pointed out. And just so you know, some could say the same about the metas you guys fight every day.”

“How?” Wells asked.

“Do they or do they not terrorize your City and put your people in danger?”

They all fell silent. She nodded. “Exactly. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go find my partner.” She started walking to the door. “By the way, you are nothing like Barry and Grace described you.”

Grace and Barry both sighed. “Lexy,” Grace said.

“No, it’s fine, Grace. They’re entitled to how they feel. I just didn’t think two people could be so entirely different than the two people who are fond of them could describe them as.” She grabbed her coat and looked at Caitlin. “It was nice to meet you, Dr. Snow. Please tell my mom that I left.”

Caitlin turned and saw the young girl’s jaw beginning to quiver and her eyes filled with tears. “Absolutely.” She tilted her head slightly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, her voice breaking a little. “I just thought the fact that until you’re actually proven guilty meant something.” She looked at Nick. “You can either come with me or wait for my mom.”

“Aly, are you okay?”

She shook her head. He grabbed his coat and looked at her. “Let’s go.” The 2 teenagers walked out.

Grace exhaled. “Congratulations, Joe, Doctor.”

“It is a brutal, violent vision of justice, one we do not share. You truly think he's a hero, fine, so be it. But he's not the kind you should be looking up to.”

Grace opened her mouth to say something, but the commotion coming from the other room broke the conversation up and Grace and Barry stepped out to see Caitlin being chased by boomerang and creating chaos. Finally, the boomerang stuck in the pipe in the wall and the commotion died. “That's my bad. That's on me,” Cisco said.

An aftershock of the chaos made something fall and shatter. Joe looked at Barry and Grace and said, “I want that “Arrow” out of my city. Tonight.”

* * *

 

The Arrow and the Sparrow leapt over the fence of the storage place. They began heading inside, while Diggle and Nick sat in their van waiting. “I mean, do you think he can do everything really fast? I mean, like, how fast do you think he goes to the bathroom after he's eaten something?”

Lexy laughed in disbelief. “What?”

“This is you watching our backs?” Oliver asked.

“Well, the Mirakuru soldiers are one thing, but this...”

“Come on, Uncle John. It’s still Barry.”

“Lexy’s right. Whatever he can do now, he's still the same Barry we met last year.”

“Well, if you're so adamant against teaming up with him, what are we doing here?”

“He's a good kid, and it's just a name, Diggle.”

Lexy kicked open the door and Oliver held a ready arrow to the man’s chest. “The man who rents this storage unit... I want... his... name.”

* * *

 

Meanwhile, while the Arrow and Sparrow were getting information, Cisco walked up to Grace in the lab. He smiled. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Can we talk?”

She stepped back and motioned for him to take a seat in the chair he usually sat in at the computer. He pulled the flower from behind his back. She smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sorry.”

She sighed. “Do you even know what you’re apologizing for or are you just apologizing in hopes I won’t be mad anymore?”

“You’re mad because I checked out Felicity.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, Cisco, that’s not it at all.”

“Then what?”

“I’m upset because while Felicity was standing there in her bra you didn’t even notice that I was standing there and you didn’t even bother to notice that I had said something.” She exhaled and sat in the other chair. “Look. I knew I’d always have to compete with the science and your inventions, but…” She rubbed her hands on her pant legs nervously. “I’ve never been the hot chick, okay? Or if I was as soon as I opened my mouth and intelligent words came out the guy went running the other way. I’m not Felicity. I won’t be looked at as sexy, smart and bubbly all at the same time. I can barely get Caitlin to realize that I’m smart.” She sighed. “I mean watching you today made me realize something.”

“What’s that?”

“That it’s not going to matter how smart I am, or how pretty you think I am. Or even how good I am in bed, there’s always going to be someone better.” She wiped her tears away. “And the part that sucks is I’m already in love with you.”

His jaw fell in shock a little. “You are?”

She nodded. “I am,” she said. She looked into his dark eyes. “You’re amazing, Cisco. I thought you could be that guy that saw everything about me, but…”

“No, Grace, don’t.”

“I don’t want to,” she said, the tears streaming this time. “I’m in love with you, damn it. And not just love, but **_love_**. I thought you could be the one, but if I can’t even hold your interest when we’re out of the bedroom then how in the hell am I going to hold your interest for sixty years or more?”

With that she stood, grabbed her stuff and walked out.

Cisco sighed. He could admit he was an idiot. He just made the best thing in his life feel like she wasn’t enough. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Barry. “I need your help.”

“What’s up?” Barry asked.

“I screwed up with your sister BIG time.”

He smirked. “She didn’t let you off the hook about staring at Felicity, huh?”

“Uh…not exactly. How do I prove to your sister that she’s enough, she’s what I want?”

“Well, not checking out other girls is a step in the—”

“Barry, I’m serious. She just all but ended our relationship because she thinks she will never be enough.”

Okay, Barry knew this was serious. “Okay, then answer some questions. Can she be?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation.

“Are you sure? I mean, if we’re sitting in Jitters one day and someone hotter, smarter and sexier walked in are you going to be happy with Grace still or are you going to wish you had the girl that just walked in?”

“Yes, Barry. Look, I’ve been in love with your sister for almost a year. If I didn’t want to see us through I would have bolted with her powers flaring up. But I want your sister.”

“So, why didn’t you even notice that she was in the room?”

“What?”

He sighed. “Look, Cisco, it may be unrealistic, but Grace has always had romance novel notions toward a relationship, toward the man in her life.”

“What do you mean?”

“She wants to be the center of your world. She wants to _know_ she’s the center of your world. If my sister has fallen for you as hard as I think she has then she’s in it for the long haul, Cisco. That means everything. That means trials, triumphs, everything. If she has laid it all on the line like that, then she wants to know you feel the same, because you’re already the center of her world. So, answer the question, if she means all of that to you, why didn’t you notice she was in the room and why didn’t you notice she was talking?”

* * *

 

The next day, Oliver, Lexy and Felicity, met with Barry and Grace at Jitters. They greeted each other and then Oliver said, “The bad guy that you're after, the one who robbed the bank, his name is Roy G. Bivolo.”

“Really?” Grace asked, a little surprised.

“Yeah. Not much for a name.”

She laughed softly.

Barry looked at all of them. “Uh, thanks. How did you find that out?”

He looked away.

“The guy's still alive, right?”

Grace hit his arm. “Barry!”

“I'm just asking. I thought you didn't want to help,” he asked more softly.

“I'm not. It's just a name.”

Just then Iris walked up with 3 mugs in her hands. “Hi,” she said to all 3 of them again. “One non-fat latte, extra sugar for Felicity, a large triple chocolate hot cocoa for Alexandra and one coffee, black, for Oliver.” She smiled adoringly at him. “I brewed you a fresh pot, so...”

“Thank you.” He smiled.

Lexy bit her lip to keep from laughing as she watched the beautiful girl fawning all over her father.

Iris turned to Barry and Grace. “Can I talk to you two for a second?”

“Yeah,” Barry said.

“Sure,” Grace said at the same time.

Iris pulled them off to the side. She slugged them both. “Ow!” they said at the same time.

“What are you doing?” Barry asked.

“You guys didn’t tell me you knew Oliver Queen!” She then slapped them again.

“Ouch,” Grace said softly. She looked at her brother. “She’s your best friend and I’m the one getting hit.”

“We know Oliver Queen.”

“Oh, my God,” she looked over her shoulder at him. “He's even more handsome in person. And his arms are, like, twice the size of yours.”

“Technically they're not twice the size.”

“He's on my three list.”

“What's a three list?” Barry asked.

“My list of three guys I'm allowed to cheat on Eddie with. You usually don't meet people on your list, but now here he is, and I just cannot stop staring at him.” She sighed. She looked at Grace. “You have a three list with Cisco, right?”

“Actually no. And to be honest I’m afraid to know who he’d cheat on me with.” She exhaled deeply and then looked at Barry. “I’m going to get a coffee. Want your usual?”

He nodded. Iris looked up at him. “Did I say something wrong?”

He shook his head. “No. Um…her and Cisco hit a snag.”

“Oh, God…”

“They’ll be alright.”

“I hope so. They make a cute couple if he could actually get past whatever’s holding him back.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, whenever he’s around and she is too it’s like he’s holding something back.” She shrugged. “I could have been reading it wrong.”

Barry couldn’t help but wonder what it was. “Maybe.” As he turned to go back up to them, Oliver walked up to him. “Okay.”

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, we'll help you catch your bad guy.”

He smiled hugely as Grace approached and handed him his coffee. “Thank you, Kiddo.”

“You’re welcome.” She sipped. “What’s going on?”

“Oliver has agreed to help us find Bivolo.”

She smiled. “Great.”

He looked at Oliver. “Meta-human.”

“I am not calling him that, Barry.”

“Partners?” he asked holding out his hand.

“Partners.” He looked at Grace. “To both of you.”


	16. Team Flash vs Team Arrow, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The combined team is still hunting for the meta-human, Prism. However, when it takes down one of their own, can they stop his rage before he kills someone? 
> 
> Oliver and Lexy attempt to train Barry and Grace...with mixed results. It's finally revealed what Caitlin's problem with Grace is.  
> And Oliver's past comes back to slap him with a responsibility he never thought he had....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to see the Arrow version of the Crossover...the Brave and the Bold....head over to Daughter of the Arrow: The Sacrificer's Challenge for that. Also if you wanna see what happens with Samantha's announcement you can head over too.

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_vs._Arrow)

Grace walked into the lab and placed a cup of coffee in front of Cisco. He looked up. “Hi.”

She smiled. “Hi.” She fell silent for a moment and then said, “I missed you last night.”

“Missed you too,” he admitted.

She sighed. “Look, Cisco—”

“No, let me talk, okay?”

She nodded. He took a deep breath and then stood. “I’ve been holding back on you.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because I was afraid if I actually told you everything about what I was feeling that you would run the other way.” He took a drink of his coffee. “I’m afraid if I actually _show_ you the affection that I want to, all of it, that you’ll freak out. Like you, Gracie, I’m not a half-in person. I know I haven’t shown you completely, but I’m in this. And if we’re so lucky that it comes to this, then I’ll be in it for better or for worse too. I’ve just been afraid of acknowledging all of it with you, for you because the moment we acknowledge it, it means it can be taken away and losing you would be unbearable.” He sighed. “I love you, Grace.”

Tears filled her vision as she gasped, covering her mouth. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yes. I want forever with you if we get there. I know I haven’t shown you this, but you mean the world to me. Everything. If you’ll give me a chance I’ll—”

His words died in his mouth the moment her mouth came down on his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and they both poured everything they’d been feeling into the kiss. Moments later, they came apart and she looked at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She pressed another kiss to his lips. “I gotta go. The Arrow wants to meet up with us about something,” she said. She kissed him again.

“Bye. Be careful.”

* * *

Grace landed in the mud and looked down. “Good thing I decided to not wear heels to this meeting.”

Oliver laughed. “Right. It’s been raining a lot.”

“I’d prefer that than snow.”

“Very true.”

“Am I early?”

Oliver turned to her. “You’re right on time. Your brother’s going to be late.”

“He’s always late.” She put her hands in her pockets. “He may be able to go faster than the speed of sound, but he has no concept of time.”

Lexy walked up onto the porch of the abandoned home and smiled at Grace. “Hey, Grace.”

“Hi.” She looked down at her feet. “Nice shoes. Aren’t you afraid of them getting disgusting.”

She shook her head. “Not really. I don’t buy expensive shoes like my mom, grandmother or my aunt.” She pointed down at the high-heeled boots. “These were forty bucks. Marked down from a hundred.”

She shook her head. “You’ll have to tell me where you shop.”

She nodded. “It’s an online discount shoe company.”

Barry showed up and Oliver kept his face calm and stoic. “You're late. Barry, how can you have super-speed and still not be on time?”

“Sorry, I guess the super-tardiness kinda neutralizes it. So how do we catch Bivolo here?”

“We’re not,” Lexy told them both.

“We're here to train.”

“What? Like Rocky?” Barry asked.

Lexy laughed. “Not quite.”

“I read your friend Iris' blog post on The Flash, and I visited all the crime scenes you fought at.”

“Don't you sleep?”

“Heck with that. You have a gorgeous fiancée, can’t you find something else to do than stalk former crime scenes.”

He smirked. “This was to help you two.” He looked at Barry. “Last month you took on a man named Leonard Snart.”

“We call him Captain Cold.”

“We can talk about you giving your enemies silly code names later.”

“You mean like over coffee with Deathstroke and The Huntress?”

“Big difference there, Barry,” Lexy told him. “Deathstroke and Huntress already had their names. You guys name them.”

Oliver smiled at his daughter. “The point is that you engaged Snart on a commuter train, which he derailed.”

“Okay, there may have been some damage, but I got the job done, I was the hero.”

“Barry, when you approach a new environment, do you case every inch of it?”

He didn’t say anything.

Lexy smiled. “That’s what I thought. And the only reason why Grace does to an extent is because she’s got the skyward advantage.”

“You could. You have the time. But you don't. You just run in blind. There's a difference, Barry,” they walk out into the field. “Between having powers and having precision.”

“When I came to you thinking about going out and helping people, you said I could be an inspiration.”

He picked up his bow. “Living this life...well, it takes more than a mask. It takes discipline. And since you are probably as stubborn as I am—”

“What is that for?”

“You're going to run over there, you're going to come back at me, and you're going to get hit with an arrow.”

Barry looked at Lexy, as Grace did so too. “Don’t look at me. This training exercise wasn’t my idea.”

He laughed. “No, I'm not.”

Oliver laughed back in the same tone. “Yes, you are.”

“Okay, fine, I will humor you.” He took off to a hilly part in the field. “Ready?”

“Ready.” He said and fired the arrow.

Barry caught it and came to a stop. He smirked cockily. “Nice try.”

Just then 2 crossbows fired and hit Barry in the back of his shoulders. “Gah! Ah! What, you shot me?”

“Oh, my God!” Grace exclaimed. “What the hell?!” Barry panted in pain.

Oliver walked up behind him and pulled the arrows out. “I heard you heal fast.”

Grace glared at him and then turned back to her brother. “Hold still.” She looked over her shoulder. “Did you want a demonstration?”

Lexy exhaled. “I told you it wouldn’t go over well.”

Oliver walked away. Lexy walked over and grabbed the first aid kit. “You can’t go to the hospital. And you can’t go to the lab or Caitlin will go all mother hen on you and you won’t hear the end of it. Let me patch you up, okay?”

He nodded. She began muttering in Mandarin. He looked at her as he took his shirt off. “Is that Chinese?”

“Mandarin, actually.”

“How do you know Mandarin?”

“I taught myself,” she said as she began dabbing the wounds with alcohol patches. “It was when my dad went to the island for the summer after his best friend died.”

“You taught yourself Mandarin?”

She nodded. “And Russian.” She exhaled. “I’ve been thinking about learning Spanish and Italian too.” She finished up and pulled the glove off. “There you go.”

“Thanks, Lex.”

Grace looked at the patch up job. “You’ve done that before.”

She laughed. “A few times. My dad tends to either get shot or shoot others. Case in point.”

Barry stared at her as he put his shirt back on. “I’m still shocked by you being able to teach yourself different languages.”

She laughed and shut the first aid kit. “Don’t be. I’m a lot smarter than I look.”

“Yeah, don’t let the blond hair fool ya.”

She smiled when she turned. “Hey, Nicky.”

“Hey, Baby. I wanted to come see how bad the carnage was.”

She smiled. “Not bad. A couple of arrows in the shoulders.” She pointed to the ground. “The crossbows are there if you want to load them back in the truck. Remember to put the safety on.”

“Yes, Dear.”

She stopped and looked at him. “Don’t do that,” she said. “You know I hate it when you pacify me.”

“Sorry.”

Grace laughed. “How long have you two been together?”

“Fourteen months,” Nick said as he picked up the bows, putting the safeties on. “Give or take a few days.”

“You remember that?” Barry asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Guys usually don’t remember down to the month how long you’ve been together.”

He shrugged. “I’m good with numbers.”

* * *

Meanwhile at the lab, Felicity and Caitlin were getting along great. “Have you heard of color psychology?”

“The theory that changes in the color spectrum can affect emotion.”

“It is so nice to have another woman to talk to.”

“I know. However, you do have a girl to talk to about this. Grace is super smart.”

Caitlin shrugged. “That theory hasn’t been tested yet.”

“It has you just refuse to see it,” Felicity told her. “What is your issue with her? Is it because Barry listens to her or that Cisco’s dating her?”

“Neither,” Caitlin said. She sighed. “I guess you could say I’m insecure too.”

“Grace isn’t a medical doctor. She’s actually not a doctor at all. She just has several degrees and knows a lot about everything.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“Well, if I grew up with a brother like Barry I’d probably try to find things we could be interested in together,” Felicity countered. “There’s a lot of reasons why. You should actually talk to her and find out those reasons.”

“She doesn’t exactly like me.”

“Do you blame her?” Felicity asked. “You’ve been nothing antagonistic since she became a part of this team….” Her voice trailed off as she had a eureka moment. “That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t like the fact that Barry insisted that she be a part of this team.”

Caitlin exhaled. “There’s actually no reason until recently for her to be here. She has no skills that could be useful—”

“What about the programming thing that Lexy was telling me about?”

“With you here or the fact that we can call you she doesn’t need to be here.”

Felicity went back on her heels. “Oh my God…you really don’t like her, do you?”

“She serves no function!” Caitlin hissed. “Except as Barry’s sister and Cisco’s girlfriend.”

Felicity blinked in surprise. “Well, I can honestly say, I’m surprised at you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you’d be all girl power and everything, but you’re not. You don’t like the fact that another girl is smart. You hate the fact that another woman is a part of the team and you definitely hate the fact that she’s going to become a permanent member of the team if she does start programming stuff.” She sighed. “What were you thinking when you asked me about the color spectrum?”

“I was thinking that if Bivolo uses color to induce the temporary psychosis, maybe we can use light and color to reverse it.”

“Miss Smoak, a word, if you please.”

* * *

They walked throw the corridor of S.T.A.R. Labs and Felicity caught up to them. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Barry said.

“How'd it go with Oliver?”

“You know, to be honest, not exactly the partnership I thought it would be.”

Nick, Lexy and Grace went into the comm unit of the lab while Felicity and Barry continued to talk. “Oh, did he really do the thing with the arrows?”

“You knew he was going to shoot me?” Barry asked.

“Whoa, it is practically impossible to tell when Oliver's making a joke.”

“Hey, we just got a ping from the facial recognition software on Bivolo, aka, Prism,” Cisco said.

“Since when do we have facial recognition software?”

“Happy Chanukah.”

“Well, there went the surprise program I was building,” Grace muttered.

Felicity winced. “Sorry.”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not the time to talk about this.” She glared at her brother. “But just so you know. This will be the last time you pacify me because you hate to see my feelings hurt.”

“Grace, that’s not—”

She held up a hand to stop him.

Barry sighed. “Where can I find him?”

“Traffic cameras just caught him entering a residence at 168 Jarvis,” Cisco told him.

“We should let The Arrow know,” Felicity said nervously.

“I can handle this solo. I've done it before.”

“Barry, I’ll come with you.”

“No, Grace, it’s okay. Stay here.”

“Barry—”

“I’ll be fine, Grace!”

“Barry, I really think you need to wait—”

“Felicity, I don't need his help.”

He left and Felicity turned to Grace. She shook her head. “He’s always been fiercely independent. Even more so with mom dead and dad gone.” She narrowed her eyes at Caitlin. “You know there’s something I need to say to you.”

“What?”

“I know it’s really hard for you to deal with not exactly been the smartest chick in the room.” She walked over to one of the computers. She typed something in and then brought it up on the big screen.

“What are these?”

“My degrees.” She folded her arms in front of her. “Have you ever tried to get six degrees before you were twenty-two?”

“No. I was in med school.”

She then typed something else in and pulled it up on the screen. Cisco looked at it. “What is that?”

Caitlin’s jaw fell. “Her MCAT’s.” She turned to her. “You passed?”

She nodded. “I did, but I chose at the last minute to go in a different direction.”

“Why?” Three people asked in unison.

“Because I never had interest in becoming a medical doctor. I did it for my dad. He wanted another doctor in the family.”

“What interest did you have?” Felicity asked.

“I wanted to create something,” she said simply. “I wanted to make the world better in some way. Having your mother die at a young age, you begin to see the world—”

“Like a really bad place. And you start to wonder if you’ll ever be safe again.”

They turned to Lexy. Grace smiled. “Exactly. I was eight years old when my mother died. I know what she looks like because I’m basically her carbon copy, but there’s not many memories of her. I loved taking pictures because for a moment you could capture something you’ll never be able to capture again. A memory. But I loved science.” She sighed. “I loved being able to look into someone’s mind and predict pretty accurately what they were thinking. I loved mixing up this chemical and that element and seeing what would come out of it.” She looked at Caitlin. “Now, I don’t know what your issue is with me, but I’m not going anywhere. Not as long as my brother’s here.” She put her hands on the table in front of her. “Let me ask you something. Do you have siblings?”

“No,” she said softly.

“Then you will never **_ever_** know the bond that Barry and I share. Because of what we’ve been through—our mother dying and dad going to prison for it—our bond is so much stronger. He’s my brother, my protector, my sounding board and my best friend.” She shook her head as she spoke. “And there is nothing you’ll ever be able to do to break that.” She looked at her entire team. “So, go ahead and keep calling in Felicity to build the stupid programs, but that doesn’t mean you’ll stop me from being around.”

She walked to the door and stopped. “Just so you know, the program I was building would have had facial recognition in it _and_ a lot of the capabilities that the government agencies have. Even A.R.G.U.S.”

Cisco hung his head. “Damn it,” he muttered. “I keep batting a thousand when it comes to the boyfriend title.”

Nick looked at everyone. “What’s the deal?” he asked. “Why can’t you share responsibilities? Why does one person have one job and they stick to that one job?” He rubbed a hand over his hair. “I thought the point of a team was to come together and help each other?”

“In theory, yes,” Lexy said. “However, with this team, we seem to be dealing with egos.” She looked at Cisco. “He’s dealing with it. He’s just trying to figure out how to be the mechanical engineer and her boyfriend. However, Caitlin, that’s an ego thing I don’t understand, because as you can see, Grace has all the intelligence you have, but yet, there’s a level of animosity with you that no one can figure out.” She sighed. “Then there’s Barry. He’s too busy trying to still be her big brother than actually finding her place on this team.”

Felicity nodded. “I think you’re right.” She put a hand on Lexy’s shoulder. “I’m gonna go call your dad.”

She nodded. “Tell him I said hi.”

“I will.”

* * *

Barry came back from his solo confrontation with Bivolo. He had Caitlin look at his eyes. “No signs of macular damage. Your retina and cornea seem unaffected.”

He pushed the device away. “I told you, I'm fine.”

Felicity looked at him. “You said Bivolo whammied you. No desire to go MMA on any of us?”

“No,” he said. “Yeah, I mean, something weird happened with his eyes for a sec.”

“Weird thing?” Caitlin asked.

“Yeah, everything went red.”

“You were right,” Felicity said.

“Okay, next thing you know,” he stood and walked out. “Bivolo was gone. Look, obviously his powers didn't work on me, so—”

“It was stupid for you to go out there alone. You take too many risks. As fast as you are, that's going to catch up with you.”

“Caitlin, I'm not Ronnie. You gotta stop treating me like I am.”

“You're right. You're not.”

Felicity just stared at him. “What?” He asked.

“You are such a lovable dummy.” His phone vibrated. “It's Oliver... he wants to have another session.”

“I'm sure he's not going to shoot you again. Maybe you should wear body armor.”

He got to the abandoned house and Lexy and Oliver were waiting for him. “Thinking of new ways to embarrass me?”

“I'm not trying to embarrass you, Barry, but you went after Bivolo last night alone and you lost him.”

He scoffed. “And you've never had a misstep?”

“Course I've had missteps.”

“We both have,” Lexy said.

“Barry, I have been living this life for almost eight years, encountering things that you can't even fathom, and I am still alive. Not because super-speed kept me out of the ground. It was because I realized that I needed to keep learning, keep training, keep getting smarter, and until you get that, despite your best intentions, you will do more harm than good.”

The look in Barry’s eyes had Lexy’s nerves dancing in her stomach.

“I finally see it. You're a little bit jealous of me, aren't you?”

Lexy’s brow furrowed as she tried to understand where his thoughts were going.

“A guy like you, handsome, rich, can have any girl he wants, jealousy's probably a new emotion for you, so you might be a little slow to get what it is that you're feeling.”

Lexy’s entire body went rigid. The look in Barry’s eyes…she’d never seen that look before.

Keeping calm Oliver said, “That's your theory?”

“Absolutely. So you can train, lift weights, climb that stupid barn till your heart explodes, but you'll never be as fast as I am. You'll never be what I am. And that's gotta hurt your rock-hard pride, Ollie.”

Out of fear and nervousness, she looped her hand into her father’s and he began walking away, tossing over his shoulder. “I told Felicity you didn't want my help.”

“Yeah. You're finally right about something.”

Lexy waited until he was gone and then stopped her dad. “Daddy, that…that…that…that wasn’t right. That’s not Barry.”

He nodded. “You’re right.”

“I’m calling Grace,” she said and pulled out her phone. She dialed her friend’s number and waited. “Hey, Grace, it’s me.”

“Hey, Sweetheart, what’s up?”

She took a deep breath and told Grace everything. Grace nodded as she listened. “Okay. I have a feeling I know where he went. Um…tell your dad to get a hold of the team and tell him to tell them to wait for me to call them okay?”

She nodded. “I will.” She hung up. “You still on the phone with mom?”

He nodded. “Tell them that Grace said to wait until she called them. She has a feeling where he’d go.”

* * *

Grace walked into the precinct to see Barry going off on Captain Singh. She walked up to the 2 of them. Look, I work just as hard as anyone in this building. I don't need you constantly berating me to do my job. When it's done, you will have it, all right?”

“Barry, hey,” Grace said soothingly. “Just calm down.”

Joe walked up to the Captain. “Sorry, Captain. He's having an allergic reaction to some bad medication.”

“You remind him who answers to who.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“I'm so sick of Singh talking to me like that.”

“That still doesn’t excuse the fact that—”

“Shut up!” Barry screamed. “God, all you’ve been doing since we were kids is following me around or trying to show me up on how smart you are. You wanna know why you don’t have a job on the team. Because I don’t want you there!” He groaned. “Mom and dad should have never had you!”

Grace gasped, tears welling into her eyes.

“Barry!” Joe exclaimed. “Stop it! Look, he's still our boss. Now I know you're upset about losing Bivolo...”

“Wait, wait...you're just like him. Like Wells, and Oliver, and everyone else my whole life that didn't think I could get the job done.” He closed the gap between them. “Do you want to help me, Joe? You want to help me? Get my dad out of prison. You helped put him there, didn't you?”

“Barry, I need you to calm down. Why don't we both take a ride to S.T.A.R. Labs?”

He shoved Joe. “I'm calm! Okay?” Both Grace and Joe saw his eyes glow red. “When I am not calm, you'll know.”

Grace sighed. “That was not my brother,” she said wiping her tears.

He nodded. “Yeah.” He pulled her into a hug. “You know he doesn’t really think that, right?”

She shrugged. “There’s gotta be some truth to it, right, or he wouldn’t have said it?”

Joe exhaled and hugged her tighter. “I love you.”

“I love you too, dad.”

“Let’s go to the Lab and tell everyone.”

She nodded. They walked out together.

* * *

Felicity hung up the phone and looked at Team Flash. “That was the Arrow. He said that Barry was acting strangely.”

“Strangely, how?”

“He's been whammied,” Joe said walking in with Grace. “He was acting angry. It was scary.”

“He said some things to me that…”

Cisco stood. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. It’s just that I’m wondering if he actually—”

“And his eyes...they glowed.”

“It's possible that his body is fighting off the effect, so it's hitting him slower.”

“When it comes to rage, that is not a good thing. The longer you suppress your emotions...”

“The bigger the explosion.”

“Yeah,” Grace said. “Criminal psychologically speaking, “It’s usually the sentence that is said when someone admits to killing someone. ‘I went into a blind rage’.” She sighed. “If we don’t get him under control he could do some real damage that he’ll regret.”

“Considering what he can do, how do we even stop him?”

“A cold-gun would come in real handy right about now,” Cisco taunted.

“Hey,” Joe said.

“I'm just sayin',” Cisco said.

“No, but, dad. He’s right.”

“You wanna freeze your brother to death.”

She glared at him. “Don’t be stupid. Of course not. However, there are two people we know that could stop him and if it comes to it, I can freeze him.”

“No!” Joe exclaimed.

“Dad, if it’s to stop Barry I can concentrate the freeze to his legs or something.”

Wells looked at Felicity. “Felicity knows someone who can. I think you better call back Oliver Queen. We're gonna need The Arrow and the Sparrow’s help.”

Everyone except Grace, Wells and Felicity seemed shocked by that reveal. Felicity called Oliver. She walked back to Grace. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Yes?”

“Get suited up. Lex and I will meet you. Can you can control weather elements?”

She nodded. “Pretty much, to an extent. If the earth can do it, I can.”

He nodded. “Cool. That’s why you gave yourself the codename, huh?”

“Actually, my boyfriend did. See you in a few.” She hung up and handed it back to Felicity. She went into the other room where her suit was hanging and quickly changed. She kissed Cisco and then kissed Joe’s cheek. “Be back.”

“Be careful!” Both Cisco and Joe said in unison.

* * *

Grace found her brother as he was taking his rage out on Eddie. She sighed. She watched as Eddie fired at him and she could tell that Barry was getting even more angry. She landed behind Barry. She took a breath, whispered, “Please forgive me.” Then she tapped her brother on the shoulder. He turned and she pushed her palm into his chest hard. She came around him and stood between Eddie and Barry. “Don’t.”

 

At the lab, Felicity caught Barry on a traffic camera, he was storming toward Grace. She started backing up toward Eddie. She threw up her hand and they watched as Barry seemed to bounce off an invisible wall.

Dig walked up to the screen. “What did she just do?”

“A force field,” Caitlin explained. “She’s protecting Eddie.”

On the screen they watched as Grace helped him to his feet. Meanwhile, on the street, Grace threw her voice and said to Eddie, “Are you okay?”

He nodded. She looked at her brother. “Flash, you don’t want to do this.”

“Yes, I do! He wants to stop us!”

She grabbed the front of Eddie’s shirt and kept him behind her. “Flash, please, don’t. I don’t want to—”

The sound of an arrow whooshing and then ropes going around Barry, filled the air. “Run!” Arrow told them.

“Eddie, run!” Iris told them.

The Arrow looked at the Flash. “You need to calm down.”

“And you need to hold on.” He started running, dragging the Arrow behind him.

The Sparrow came out of the shadows and said, “Daddy!” She heard the arguing on the other side of her comm and she said, “Please tell me you guys are not arguing about who could kill who?”

“Uh…no.”

“Yes,” Grace said. “My money’s on my brother.” She seen Lexy’s face and she shrugged. “Family loyalty.”

“Well, I’m not doing it.”

Grace motioned for her to come over. She then put her hands under Lexy’s armpits. “Do you trust me?”

The young woman nodded. “Yes.”

She propelled herself up and then flew at jet speed to where they were. She then said, “I’m going to drop you. Can you land on your feet at high distances?”

“Yes! Cover your ears!”

“Why?!”

“Because I know a sure fire way to stop Barry, but it’s going to be loud.”

Grace nodded. She then dropped her. Barry then stopped dragging Oliver. She put her batons together and connected them. She then squeezed toward the middle of the two connected batons and a really loud scream emitted from them. Oliver shot the tranquilizer arrow into Barry’s arm.

She shut off her batons. And the girls watched as Barry speed up his body and burned off the effects. “Oh, fuck….” Grace muttered. She landed on the ground and put Lexy behind her.

Barry started running around Oliver really fast. Grace sighed. “Okay, Felicity.”

“I’m here.”

“How loud can her batons get?”

“Um…loud. Ask her.”

“Lex, how loud can they get?”

“Um…they could knock out a human and actually kill them if I turn it all the way up.”

“Do it!” Grace told her.

“What?!” Caitlin exclaimed. “Grace, she could kill him!”

While they argued, Oliver used one of his arrows to try and get away. He fired a grappling hook arrow and tried going up the building, but Barry got there and cut it. Lexy screamed, “DADDY! NO!”

Grace started to go up, when she seen Oliver use another arrow to stop his fall. She hovered back down. Oliver attempted to fight Barry. When Oliver got one good punch, it pissed Barry off and he retaliated. He used his superspeed to his advantage and started kicking Oliver’s ass.

“All right, that’s it,” Lexy said. “I don’t care what either of you say.” She put her Bo together again and squeezed it where she needed to. The scream emitted again.

 

On screen, in the lab they watched as Barry went to his knees, holding his ears. Caitlin gasped. “Why doesn’t she shut it off?!”

“She knows what she’s doing,” Felicity snapped. “She’s been working with those for three years. She knows them better than anyone. Just trust her.”

“You want me to trust a thirteen—”

“Caitlin,” Joe said. “Trust her. She loves Barry. She won’t hurt him.”

 

On the street, Lexy stopped when she heard her father say something. She turned it off and he came to him. He knelt in front of him. “I still believe in you, Barry.”

“Barry, please!” Lexy pleaded.

The sound of squealing tires and then the van stopping had them watching as Oliver held Barry and had him staring at the colors that twinkled going from red, blue and green. Grace pulled her mask off after a few minutes and stepped in front of her brother. “Barry?”

“Gracie?” he said, confused and digging at his eyes.

“Barry, you okay?”

Barry looked at Oliver and groaned. “Oh, this is going to be a special kind of hangover.” He turned back to his sister and hugged her, holding tight. “I love you.”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on as she cried. “I love you.”

“Whatever I said it wasn’t true,” he whispered.

She looked at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Gracie, I don’t know what I said—”

“That you didn’t want me on the team and that I shouldn’t have been born.”

He sighed and pulled her back into a hug. “No, Kiddo. I love having you around. I don’t know what my life would have been without you.”

She exhaled. “What about the team?”

“I love having you out here with me.”

She hugged him, kissing his cheek. She exhaled, relieved. “You might have a slight frost burn punch mark on your chest.”

He laughed and held onto her. He pulled Lexy into a hug. “Thank you.”

She smiled and hugged him, kissing his cheek. “Any time, Uncle Barry.”

He laughed and looked at Oliver. “Did your daughter just adopt me?”

“Yeah, she does that. Just ask John.”

Grace smiled. “Uncle Barry. I like it. Fits you.”

He laughed. “Thanks.”

* * *

Team Arrow said their goodbyes to Flash and his team, then headed into town to get coffees for the road. Oliver, Felicity, and Lexy walked into Jitters. Felicity ordered some coffees and a triple chocolate hot cocoa for Lexy. Lexy looked at both her parents and said, “Be right back. Gonna use the restroom before we go.”

Oliver smiled. “Okay, Sweetheart.”

Oliver and Barry talk about Iris and the rage he guessed he felt more of than he realized. Felicity walked up and handed his coffee to him. “Ready?”

“I am, but we need to wait for Lex.”

They stood.

“Oliver.”

Felicity and Oliver both turned to see a beautiful brunette with dark eyes standing in front of them. Oliver was stunned. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she said.

“How are you?” Oliver asked, still surprised.

“Good, good,” the woman said. “It’s been a long time.”

Oliver’s face crumpled. “We never spoke after, and I’m so sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I heard about your mother…she loved you very much.”

“She did.”

“Hey, daddy, you’ll never believe it, but they have a couch in there…” her voice trailed off when she saw the woman that her father was talking to. She looked from the woman to her dad. “Daddy?”

“This is your daughter?”

He nodded, pride shining through. “Lexy, Sweetheart. Come here.” He draped his arms around her shoulders.

“I never knew you had a daughter. Did you not know?”

“No, I knew,” he said. “Not a lot of people knew about Lexy because of my father’s views on illegitimate children. So her mother and I decided to keep her a secret.”

Her heart beat increased at the unexpected surprise. Her stomach dropped and it started swirling with butterflies. “Really? So…so…so you’ve been a fully active father and everything?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. Well, um…with an unexpected snag.”

“Right. You going missing,” she said. “But you’ve been entirely active in her life and everything?”

He was a little perplexed why she was asking this and why she seemed really fidgety. “Are you okay?”

“Um…yeah. Uh…” she looked down at Lexy. “Hi, I’m Samantha. An old friend of your dad’s.”

She smiled and shook the woman’s hand. “Hi. Alexandra, well, Lexy, actually. Nice to meet you.”

Her heart sputtered when she seen it. “She’s got your eyes and your smile.”

He nodded. “Yes. She does.” He tilted his head slightly. “Samantha, are you okay?”

“Yes, I am,” she smiled at Lexy. “Well, it was so nice to meet you, Lexy.”

“You too, Miss Clayton.”

Samantha excused herself and called someone on her phone. She then looked over her shoulder. In that moment she decided to do something that would change their lives forever. She walked out of coffeehouse and jogged out into the parking lot. “Oliver!”

He turned and looked at her, a little confused. He walked back to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, um…can you stay another day?”

“Uh…I don’t know. Why?”

“Because we need to talk.”

“About what?”

“Your son.”

* * *

Barry attempted, as the Flash, to talk to Iris, but she refused to listen and told him to stay away. He quickly went back to the lab and changed.

At Grace’s apartment, she salted the popcorn and walked back out into the living room to join her boyfriend for a night of Netflix, when a knock sounded on the door. She peeked through the peephole and then unlocked the door. “Barry? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Can I stay here tonight?”

“Absolutely,” she said without hesitation. “Come on in.” She stepped back and let him in. “Cisco’s here.”

“Oh, was this a date thing?”

“No,” Cisco said. “Just hanging out. You okay?”

“No,” he said sat on the middle cushion of the couch. “The Flash tried to talk to Iris tonight. She doesn’t want to talk to me. And she doesn’t want me anywhere near her.” He sighed and rolled his head to his sister who was sitting on his right. “I finally felt like she was noticing me.”

“But B, she wasn’t noticing _you_ she was noticing your alter ego. They’re completely different people.”

He sighed. “I know, but still…”

She put her chin on his shoulder and passed Cisco the popcorn. “She’ll come around. She’s too intrigued by the Flash and his sister Gaia to leave you alone for long.”

He nodded. “Right.”

Cisco changed the subject. “Wanna watch the Avengers?”

They smiled. “Sure,” they said in unison.

Cisco turned the movie on and they all sat back to watch. Neither talking about Team Flash or Iris for the rest of the night.


	17. The Man In The Yellow Suit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The West-Allen Family decorates for Christmas. Grace agonizes over what to get Cisco for their first Christmas.
> 
> Barry and Grace encounter their past...when the Man in the Yellow Suit reappears. 
> 
> And everyone gathers for a small Christmas party...and Grace finally sings in front of everyone.

“Hey, Gracie, can you get me the bourbon?”

Grace and Iris were in the kitchen making grandma Esther’s famous egg nog with a ‘touch’ of bourbon. “Yeah,” she said and walked to Joe’s liquor cabinet to get the bottle. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” she said. “What did you get Cisco for Christmas?”

“I haven’t yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because what do you get the guy who can literally build himself anything he wants?”

Iris thought about that for a moment and then nodded. “I see your dilemma.” She sighed. “Well, Gracie, he loves you--you have said I love you, right?”

She nodded. “We have, but this is our first Christmas together. I want the gift to mean something.” She exhaled. “I think he might be the one, Iris.”

She turned to her fully. “Really?”

She nodded. “I have never felt like this with anyone before. I’ve never done the friends first thing with someone. Usually because of my smarts and the way people treated me if a guy remotely showed any interest in me at all I jumped at the chance.” She exhaled. “But with Cisco, this…it’s different. And I think that has a lot to do with us being friends. It’s taken a lot of the pressure off. I don’t need to always be on display, so to speak.”

She smiled. She could tell that Grace really cared about him. “Sounds like you really do love him.”

She nodded. “I do.”

Like they’d done ever since Grace was 18, Iris turned to her and had her try the bourbon laced egg nog. Grace winced. “Gotta love Grandma Esther’s definition of ‘a little’.” She coughed.

Iris winced as Grace slid down the counter. “Too much?”

She shook her head. “No!” She smiled and rubbed her arms in comfort. “It’s good. Really good. But being that I drink bourbon once a year, I tend to forget __how__ much is actually in it.”

Iris laughed softly. “I have an idea…how about you ask Barry. He and Cisco are best friends, right?”

She smiled. “That might work.” She walked out of the kitchen as Iris finished up the egg nog and walked into the living room. She walked around the sofa and flopped down, with a sigh.

“What’s wrong, Kiddo?” Barry asked as she swung her legs on the couch and put her head on his legs.

“I need your help with an idea on what to get Cisco for Christmas.”

He smirked. “That’s easy. Find the original Wrath of Khan movie poster.”

She threw her legs off the couch and lunged into Barry’s arms. “Even though I feel like a horrible girlfriend now. Thank you. You’re amazing!” She kissed his cheek. She jogged to where her messenger bag was, her heels clicking on the floor and pulled out her laptop.

“I’m gonna go to the Lab after this, did you want to come with me?”

“Um…depends if I find him a present by the time that the tree trimming is done.”

He laughed. “You’re thinking too much into this, Grace,” he said. “Cisco loves you. He’s not going to care if you get him just a card. As long as you put your heart into it, that’s all he’s gonna care about.”

“I know, but I had an idea on what to get him but then it seemed totally lame. Then I had one of those ‘from the heart’ gifts and that didn’t seem like a enough.” She raised her head. “Do you really think he loves me?”

Barry scoffed, looking toward the kitchen. “Yeah. No guy is actually going to stick around and be your ‘friend’ for ten months without being in love with your first.”

Grace sighed. “You think so?”

Barry nodded, looking very bored. She snickered.

“There's only two boxes left,” Joe told him.

“You know, at this rate, we'll be finished by Easter,” Barry said.

She slapped his arm. “Leave dad alone. You know how much he loves Christmas.”

“I know, but we’re going so slow!” He then smirked mischievously.

“Oh, Lord. Dad,” she said.

He looked at Barry. “Don't even…”

He quickly decorated then sat down next to Grace.

“Okay, the only red-suited dude I want in this house right now is Kris Kringle, you got it?”

Barry sighed and quickly took the decorations off the tree. She and Joe laughed.

Iris walked in just then and looked at the guys. “Uh, these ornaments are not gonna hang themselves.”

She passed out the eggnog. “Grandma Esther's recipe... Light on the bourbon.”

Joe took a drink and winced slightly. “Mmm, he answered his cell. “I always loved her definition of light.” He answered and talked to whoever was on the other side and then said to the kids, “Sorry, kids, the D.A. wants to ask me some questions,” he said and kissed Iris and Grace on the cheek. He headed out the door and called over his shoulder. “Make sure there's some nog left for me when I get back.”

“No promises,” Barry said under his breathe.

Iris picked up the remote and turned off the television, she pulled Barry down with her. “What's happening?”

Grace laughed as she moved on the floor. “What happens every year about this time, Big Brother. Iris gets antsy and has to open a gift from you before anything else.”

“Christmas isn't for a few days,” Barry countered.

“I couldn't wait any longer.” She passed him his gift that he got for her and then snatched it back. “Oh, wait, me first.”

“Okay.”

She unwrapped the gift and opened the box. She looked up at him. “My mother's wedding band?”

“A replica, yeah. You were devastated when you lost the real one.”

“Our fifth-grade field trip…” She smiled. “To the zoo.”

“To the zoo,” he said at the same time. “You cried for weeks. Here.” He said motioning to help her with it.

Iris touched it and smiled. “You remembered.”

Grace watched her admire the necklace and then pass Barry his gift. He unwrapped it and it was a state of the art microscope. He promised he liked it and Grace opened her mouth to say, “The red ones--”

There was a knock at the door. Iris got up to answer and smiled when she seen that it was Eddie. Iris showed Eddie the necklace.

Eddie smiled at him. “That's very thoughtful, Bar. So are we tree trimming?”

“Yeah. Come on.”

“Actually not yet.” Grace said and stood. She walked to the tree and picked up 2 shiny red presents. She handed one to Barry and one to Iris. She smiled. “Don’t worry. I got you more than that.”

Barry opened his ad it was a picture of him and Grace. Grace was just a baby and he was 2 1/2 years old holding her…sort of. Grace smiled. “Read the card.”

He opened the card and read to himself:

__I can’t even put into words what you mean to me, because only a brother can love you like a father, annoy you like a sister, care for you like a mother and support you like a friend._ _

__I love you._ _

__XOXO_ _

He smiled. “Oh, that’s cool!” He looked down at the picture again and then looked at Grace. “Best moment of my life.”

She smiled and hugged him. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Kiddo.”

Iris opened her card first and read it it out loud: “We weren’t made to be sisters by blood…we became sisters by circumstance. There’s not a moment that goes by that I would ever trade you for. Thank you for being the sister I never I needed.” She looked down and inside the box was a cashmere scarf. She gasped. “Oh, thank you, Grace. It’s so pretty!”

She smiled. “You like it?”

She nodded. “I love it.”

* * *

 

Barry went to S.T.A.R. Labs as promised. “Merry Christmas. Just a small token of my gratitude…” he passed out the gifts. “For everything you guys have done for me and Grace this year.”

“I think I speak on behalf of my colleagues when I say you've been a gift for us, Barry,” Wells said.

Barry pulled out the eggnog he packed. “What's that?” Caitlin asked.

“This is compliments of Iris...Grandma Esther's famous eggnog.”

“That's what I'm talking about,” Cisco said as he went to get glasses.

“Maybe later for me. Wouldn't want to drink and drive.” Wells wheeled off.

Barry leaned in. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” Caitlin assured him.

“No, man. He, um...this used to be his favorite time of year, but the accident happened before Christmas, so...kind of ruined the holidays.”

“I'm gonna go get him a present. Maybe that'll cheer him up. Thank you very much,” Caitlin said.

“Where’s Grace?” Cisco asked pouring eggnog into the glasses.

“She’ll be here soon. She went to go see a man about your gift.”

His heart thudded in his chest. “She doesn’t have to get me anything. The fact that she’s with me at all is gift enough.”

“That’s what I told her, but she said every gift she was thinking of getting you didn’t seem to fit.”

Cisco sighed. “She tries too hard.”

“That has a lot to do with Josh,” he said. “I know it’s been a year since they’ve been together, but he used to downplay Christmas until the gift exchange and then when it wasn’t what he expected he would tear her apart. Saying she was the worst girlfriend and all that crap. So, until she knows that it really doesn’t matter to you then she’ll go over the top because the last thing she’d want to do is fail you as a girlfriend.”

“That guy was such a douche. No wonder she was so screwed up besides with being self-conscious about her powers.”

He nodded. “So what are you doing for Christmas, Cisco?”

“Well, actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What’s up?”

“How do you think Joe would feel if I kidnapped your sister for Christmas dinner?”

Barry smiled. “Doing the whole romantic dinner thing?” He sipped his eggnog.

He shook his head. “No. I want to introduce her to my parents and brother.”

He coughed on the eggnog in surprise. “Really?”

He nodded. “So, what do you think?”

“I think that’d be great, man. Grace would love it. And Joe would be a little upset, but he’d get it. So, just talk to him about it and I’m sure he’ll be cool with it.”

* * *

 

Later that morning, Grace showed up to the lab and quietly slid into the chair next to Cisco. She seen him smiling into the screen and as she opened her mouth to say something, he said, “If you’re gonna sneak in here you might not want to wear heels, Sweetheart.”

She exhaled. “I wasn’t really trying to sneak. I’m trying to get the courage up to give you something.”

He smiled and turned in his chair. “What?”

She exhaled and he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. “I love you.”

He smiled. “I love you too.”

She sighed and sat down in a chair next to him. She held out the bag. “It’s not the major gift. I thought I’d give you that on Christmas. This is partly because I love you, partly because I think you deserve it and partly an early Christmas gift.”

He smiled. “That’s a lot of parts for one gift.”

She laughed softly and kissed him. “I just hope you like it and not light into me later about it.”

“Never,” he promised. “I’m not Josh, baby. To me it doesn’t matter that you got me anything.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Because--and as corny as this is going to sound--you’re gift enough.”

She smiled and said, “Open it.”

He opened the bag and pushed the tissue paper around. He then looked up at her curiously. “What…?” he pulled the products out. “What is all this stuff?”

She smirked, and Cisco noticed that she wasn’t embarrassed by any of it. “It’s stuff for an erotic massage.”

His jaw fell open slightly and he looked down at the products. He held up the one that said __Triple Chocolate Madness__. “Do I even want to know what this is used for?”

She laughed softly. “Probably not,” she pulled herself closer to him. “But you’ll definitely enjoy it…I hope.”

He smirked. “Oh, I’m sure I will.” He kissed her passionately. “I can honestly say that an erotic massage is something I’ve never gotten.”

“Really?” She asked, he nodded and she bit her lip nervously. “It’s edible.”

“Wha…what’s edible?”

“All of it. It’s from a special online store. It’s all edible. It’s supposed to encourage the erotic part of the massage.”

He smiled, pulling her more toward him. “Oh, we are so trying this out later.” He kissed her again.

She laughed and then glanced at the time on her phone. “I gotta go. Editors meeting. I have to be at this one. The owner of the paper’s gonna be there this time.” She kissed him again, this time nibbling on his bottom lip. She whimpered. “I want you, badly.”

“Me too. See you later, Baby.”

“Always do. Love you,” she called over her shoulder as she walked out.

Caitlin walked into the lab and smiled. “Love you, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “Go ahead say it.”

“What?” she asked.

“That it’s too soon.”

She shook her head. “Wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Good, because it wouldn’t have mattered if you did. As much as I appreciate your input in the beginning, I’ve decided to take it at my pace now.”

“Good.” She smiled and tapped his shoulder. “You and Grace make a cute couple…once you let go and just __be__ a couple that is.” Her smile widened. “I could seriously see you going the long haul and I’m not just saying that.”

He exhaled. “Me too.”

And he really could. He swore. “Shit!”

“What?”

“Forgot to ask her about my parents house for Christmas.”

“Call her and ask.”

He shook his head. “No. I’ll just talk to her tonight. We’ve got plans later.”

* * *

 

“No, I didn’t say he couldn’t have the picture with his story,” Grace argued. It was toward the end of the meeting and the editor of the paper, was arguing with her with the owner there about how she was unfairly treating Mason Bridge. “I have never told him that and if he’s told you that then he’s lying.”

“What did you say?” Eric Larkin, the owner of the paper asked.

“I told him to either allow the photographer to shrink how big it was or to pick another picture.” She looked at the man. “Eric, I have never told him he couldn’t. I’d never do that. But Mason keeps picking pictures that are too large for the pic and the content. If he wants the entirety of the article on the page then he’s gotta have a smaller picture.”

He looked at the older editors in the room and said, “I agree with Grace. Now, people, I hired Grace on as editor of photography and graphics because she’s an incredible photographer and an amazing graphic arts designer. I believe her when she talks about pictures and keeping content. She knows her job, and if Mason’s going to end up with a bruised ego because a twenty-three year old woman who’s one of his bosses is telling him that the content and the picture won’t fit then he either gets over it or finds another job, because I’m not catering to his ass any longer.”

The entire table gasped softly. Grace couldn’t believe it. The man went balls to the wall for her. Oh, God! Her cell phone vibrated with a text message just as Eric dismissed the meeting. She looked down at the text message: ****[From Barry]: Meet at SL. Got something BIG. Need you there.****

* * *

 

Grace walked into the Lab, her heels clicking softly. She wore a pair of black jeans, black flat heeled knee boots and a red blazer. Her brown hair was pulled into a messy side braid that went to her left. She had her messenger bag sitting crisscross on her torso. She held up her hands, “What’s the ‘something big’?” she asked.

They told them all everything they knew. Grace’s heart literally stopped beating. He was back…but how? She moved to her brother and groped for his hand. He didn’t even think twice as he grabbed her hand and held it.

“The witness described seeing a yellow blur just like the one that killed Barry and Grace’s mother,” Joe told them.

Without missing a beat, Cisco said, “Then we need to get cracking and stop this speed psycho. That... I wasn't trying to give him a name.”

“The crime scene at Mercury Labs was on a floor with highly secured vaults, and the witness said he was looking for something,” Barry said sounding a little freaked out.

“Whatever it was, he wanted it badly enough to kill for it,” Dr. Wells said.

“Doctor, what do you know about this Mercury Labs?” Joe asked.

“Mercury was one of S.T.A.R. Labs' major competitors until our little setback, and then it catapulted to the forefront led by Dr. Christina McGee, brilliant but egocentric physicist.”

“It says here Dr. McGee has secured half a billion dollars in private funding to develop, and I quote, "prototypes for the technology of the future.’”

“Well, I'll be. Tina's messing with tachyons, superluminal particles.”

“Of course. So what could someone do with one of those…”

Grace laughed softly.

“Tachyons,” Dr. Wells supplied.

“Thank you.” 

Grace sighed. “Tachyons have always been theoretical.”

Barry looked at his sister. “What do you mean?”

She looked at everyone in the room and realized they were looking at her. “Sorry--”

“No, continue, Miss Allen. I’d love to hear what you know.”

“Um…okay,” she sighed. “Tachyons are particles that can travel faster than the speed of light.” She rubbed her forehead. “Um…until recent years, the findings of the particles have all been hypothetical.” She looked at Barry. “If you want to get technical, hypothetically speaking, if you train yourself you could actually achieve their speed, but as far as I knew there was no labs that were experimenting with the particles at all.”

“Until now,” Cisco said.

“You are correct, Grace.” She looked at the others. “You should foster her knowledge not cage it.”

“Of course, Dr. Wells.”

Wells looked at Joe. “To answer your question. I don't know. Become invincible? If you could devise a matrix stable enough to harness their power, you could travel faster than light.” He looked at Barry.

“He's gonna try to get them again, so we need to get what Mercury has and use it as a lure,” Barry said.

“Exactly right. Cisco, Caitlin, let's start engineering a trap.”

“You got it,” Cisco said. He walked up to Grace and kissed her cheek. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.” She smiled and kissed his lips. “Promise. Talk to you later.”

He nodded. 

“Of course.” Caitlin slowed and hung back. “Grace.”

She looked at Caitlin and then walked to her. “What’s up?”

“Um…I can trust you, right?”

She nodded. “Of course, Caitlin.”

She exhaled. “I think I saw Ronnie the other night.”

“When?”

“I was coming out of the mall, heading back to my car.” She sighed. “Anyway…do you think I could ask Iris questions about the Burning Man without her asking a bunch of questions?”

“Probably,” she said nodding. She smiled at her sympathetically. “Hey, if you need help sifting through anything or even talking to someone about whatever you know where to find me.”

She nodded. “I do. Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

 

Grace walked into Barry’s lab to see him staring up at his mystery solving board of articles and evidence littering it. She walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek. “Whatcha thinkin’ about, Big Brother?”

“That night…” he said. “When mom died.”

She tightened her arms. “What about it?”

“She was tucking us in, do you remember?”

She nodded. She remembered every detail about that night. It was the last time she saw her mom’s smile. The last time she felt her warm lips on her skin. “I do,” she said, her voice wavering a little with emotion. “She always tucked me in first, then you. She came into my room and I recounted my day to her. Um…I wished on the brightest star like I always did--I still do sometimes--and then she tucked me in and kissed my cheek and said, “Good night. Sweet dreams, my Little Princess”.”

He nodded. “Beautiful Boy,” he said softly.

“Then daddy came in, tucked me in and then shut out my light, shutting my door behind him.”

“And then the thunder boomed and the glass shattered,” Barry recounted. He continued to recount what had happened that night.

“And I couldn’t get out of my room,” she said standing.

“What?” he spun in his chair.

She nodded. “Yeah. It was like it was locked from the outside or something. It was the strangest thing. Mama and daddy never locked the door, but I couldn’t open it. Not at all.”

They fell silent and just stared at the board.

“Hey.”

Grace yelped when she heard Iris’ voice. She put a hand to her chest. “Oh, Dear Lord.”

Iris gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

Grace shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I called your names, like…” She looked at the board and her words trailed off. “Your mom's case.”

“I used to study this board every day. Lately, I haven't looked at it as much as I should have.”

“I didn't know you did that.”

“I guess there's still some stuff about me you don't know.”

Grace tapped his shoulder.

“Eddie asked me to move in with him. I said yes.”

Barry chuckled awkwardly. “Wow.” He slid across the floor to his desk. “You guys are moving pretty fast, huh?”

“Well, I mean, it's been a year.”

“Doesn’t feel that way with you does it?” Grace asked.

He shook his head. “I forget sometimes how long I was under.”

“Eddie thought you might feel weird about it.”

Barry was genuinely stunned. “Wha... I don't... why would he say that?”

“He thinks that you... Like me romantically. I mean, honestly, it sounds even silly suggesting it.”

Grace couldn’t believe it. She kept her face unemotional as her heart hammered in her chest. She’d known about Barry’s crush for years.

“Um... I mean, Eddie's wrong. I... and if I've seemed weird before, it's just that this year has gone by really fast, and I guess I didn't realize how far along in your relationship you guys were.”

Grace knew that was a lie, partly.

Iris sighed, smiling. “That's what I told him.” They fell silent for a moment. “Well, I guess I should get going. Bye.”

Grace looked at her brother who looked a little crushed. “B, you going to be okay?”

He looked up at her. “I…I didn’t…I didn’t think it was getting that serious.”

Grace sighed and hugged her brother. “I’m sorry, Big Brother.”

He held her. “It’s okay.”

She straightened and sighed. “Now I’m a little leery on telling you what I wanted to say.”

“What?” he asked laughing a little.

“I’m going to give Cisco a key to my apartment,” she told him quickly.

He smiled. “You mean he doesn’t already have one?”

She slapped at his shoulder. “Shut up.”

He laughed. “I thought with as close as you guys are before dating brought you closer he’d already have one.”

She shook her head and then sighed. “I’ve been thinking about asking him if we could go at normal relationship rate now.”

He nodded. “It’s about time.”

She smiled. Barry stood and walked to the window. He looked out as thunder crashed in the distance. Grace noticed that he saw something in the next building over. “What is it?”

He didn’t answer, just took off running. Grace turned, “Barry!”

He didn’t stop. She sighed. “God damn it!” She pulled out her phone as she walked out of the lab and downstairs. She dialed Cisco’s number. “Baby, we have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I think my brother is doing something very stupid.”

* * *

 

Grace had tracked Barry and the mysterious man in yellow to the stadium and flew inside. She landed next to her brother only to be punched in the gut and sent flying backwards. Barry turned and watched, but instead of her flying backwards and slamming into the ground she seemed surf absolutely nothing. She touched the ground with her toes.

“Grace, stay back!” he told her.

“No, Barry!”

He looked at her. “Do as I tell you!”

Grace fumed as she watched it. Barry looked at the Man in Yellow. “Who are you?”

“You know who I am, Barry. Even your sister does.”

Barry looked over his shoulder at her and then said to him. “I don't know who you are.”

“But you do, Barry. The three of us have been at this a long time, but I'm always one step ahead.” He slammed Barry into the ground. “It is your destiny to lose to me, Flash, just as it was your mother's destiny to die that night.”

Grace clapped her hands and the Earth beneath them shook. The Man in Yellow left. Barry stood and she glared at him. She then flew off.

When Barry walked into the Lab to tell them what had happened, right there in the comm room with everyone in the room, even their adoptive father, she strode up to him and punched him hard in the jaw. The force of the punch made Barry stumble a little.

“Grace Elizabeth!” Joe exclaimed.

“No!” She exclaimed. “Damn it! I have told you repeatedly I wasn’t going to play set decoration and you had me sitting on the fucking sidelines as that psycho jackass--who knew me too, by the way--kicked your damn ass!” She groaned in frustration, walking away, running her hands through her hair and then turning back to him. “We’re supposed to be partners, Barry. A team!”

“I know,” he said softly.

“Well, I’m not being a very good fucking teammate if you won’t let me help you!”

“Your my little sister--”

“Who’s not so little anymore!” she yelled. “I’m twenty-three, Barry. I’ll be twenty-four in March. I’m not a kid. I can take care of myself.” She looked at Barry, her expression softening. “You don’t have to be on full protective mode anymore, B. I have dad and now Cisco.”

She walked to her brother and kissed his chin. He winced and she smiled. “Sorry.”

He smiled and hugged her. “Don’t worry about it. I forgot how good your right hook was.”

Cisco sighed. “Wow, Babe, remind me not to piss you off.”

Joe laughed. “She’s never hit one of her boyfriends. Just her brother.”

Barry moved her to his side and looked at the rest of the team. He was frustrated, that was evident. “He acted like he knew me, like we'd done this before.”

“He was antagonizing you, Bar,” Joe told him.

“Then he was trying to do it to both of us, dad.”

“What do you mean?” Cisco asked.

“He talked like the three of us had fought before. Not just Barry and him, but us three. It was weird and slightly creepy.

Barry nodded. “I would get close, and he'd just pull away. I mean, this was just some sick game to him.”

“You'll catch him. We'll help,” Wells told him.

“No, you don't get it, all right? His speed, it is... it's beyond me. I'm not the fastest man alive. He is. So how do we catch somebody that even I can't keep up with?”

Grace exhaled and looked at the rest of the team.

“The beautiful thing about force fields, Mr. Allen, is they're impervious to speed. Now, we're almost finished fabricating the trap, and all that remains is for Detective West to procure the bait.”

“I'm on it.” He turned to walk out. “Barry, why don't you stay here?”

“No, Joe, today is not the day to tell me to stay behind.”

* * *

 

Grace walked into the precinct lobby just as Dr. McGee walked out. She smiled at Barry and Joe. Barry walked off and Grace sighed. “Dad--”

“Hey, Joe, you got a second?”

“Not now, Eddie.”

“I read the witness statement. The Flash was there. I know you got something in the works.”

“Yeah, but you don't want any part of this.”

“Wait a second,” Grace said. “I thought that the witness said that it was a man in yellow?”

“He did,” Joe said and slid a look to Grace.

“Then it’s not Flash,” she said to Eddie. “The Flash is in a red suit--”

“He could change--”

“Why would he do that?”

“The Arrow and the Sparrow never change outfits. If the Flash wears red and this guy is in yellow than I’d say, Detective, you have two different guys all together.”

“Oh, yeah?” Eddie challenged. “And what makes you say that?”

“Three years of investigative reporting __and__ being the daughter of a detective.” She put her hands on her hips. “It’s simple deduction, Detective.”

He glared at her and she glared right back. He looked at Joe. “I've got a task force approved to capture him, and I want in. I'm not asking permission, Joe.”

“Excuse me?”

Oh, you’ve got some massive balls, Eddie.”

“If my task force isn't a part of this, I'll go to Captain Singh. I'll tell him something's going on, and you're not talking…”

Grace exhaled. “I'm sorry. You'd do the same thing if you were me.”

“Fine.” Joe walked.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day that a self-assured handsome guy who is a successful detective would be threatened by some guy that races around the city saving people’s lives.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked advancing on her.

She closed the gap even further. “It means, Detective, maybe you should ask yourself why you’re so hell bent on taking down a guy who others consider to be a hero.” She narrowed her eyes even further. “Is it because you think he’s an honest to God menace or is it because my sister has a crush on him and you hate the fact that she’s not fawning over you like that anymore?”

With that said, she walked out of the precinct.

* * *

 

“The tachyon device is in place,” Cisco said gruffly.

Grace blinked at him in surprise. “Babe?”

He looked into her eyes. “Not now.”

She sighed. She looked back at her brother as he asked, “You think it'll work?”

“It'll work,” Cisco told him.

“So how do we advertise to him that the prototype's here?”

“We'll take care of that.”

“What's the problem?”

“Look, Barry... Me and Dr. Wells have spoken, and... We think it would be best if you weren't here for this.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You're too close to this.”

“Or maybe you're not close enough. If you hadn't been too scared and warned me that he was here weeks ago, I could have been prepared for this.”

“I think we can all appreciate Joe's concern for Iris, Barry.”

“That's why I have to be here! I'm the best chance at catching this guy!”

“Not right now, not in this state.”

“This man stabbed our mother through the heart and sent our father to prison for it. This is my fight.”

“Not today, son.”

Barry walked off. Grace exhaled. “You know what? This sucks. If you were actually just freaking honest with him to begin with he wouldn’t be so pissed off.”

“So, you want me to tell him that Eddie’s after him?”

“He knows, dad!” she exclaimed. “He’s always known. The only thing he doesn’t know is that douchebag of a partner of yours is going to be at the Reverse-Flash meet up today.” She narrowed her eyes at him, her eyes blazing with blue fire. “But he will.”

Joe stopped her. “You can’t--”

“I’m not lying to him.” She jerked her arm free and flew off.

* * *

 

She exhaled when she walked up to the desk at Iron Heights prison and asked, “May I ask you a question please?”

“Absolutely, ma’am.”

“Is my brother--Barry Allen--here at all seeing my father, Henry?”

He scanned the sheet. “Yes, ma’am. Would you like to see him too?”

She nodded. “Could I? I know I didn’t come in with him but we’ve recently had a family--”

“Yes, ma’am.” He escorted her back and then another guard took her from his spot.

She walked into the visitation room to her brother say, “I found the man who killed mom...the man in yellow, the one in the lightning. He's out there, and I had him. He got away.” He paused and Grace walked closer.

“I... I was so close. I promised you that I would get you out of here. Every day you spend in here has been because of him…” his voice was breaking with tears and Grace put a hand to her mouth as tears flowed of her own.

“Until today. Now you're in here because of me, and I'm so sorry. I…”

Grace rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She slid into another chair and looked at her brother. She wiped her tears. “It’s not your fault.” She sniffled. “I love you to the moon and back, Big brother, but you’re an idiot.”

Henry laughed softly. “Your mom would have told me the same thing.” He looked at Barry. “Your sister’s right. Barry, this is not your fault. Look at me.”

Barry looked up and Grace looked at him too.

“I know what you've given up. What you both have. Every decision you've made in the past 14 years has been because of me and your mom... what you studied, why you became a CSI, even with Iris.”

“Iris?”

“You're my son. You don't think I know how you love her? But you never pursued her because you were too consumed with what happened to me and your mom to let yourself have a life.” He smiled at Grace and then looked at Barry. “Take your sister’s cue, let it go now, Barry. Hear me now. The man in the yellow suit...has taken enough from us already. Don't let him take any more.” He smiled. “Live your life. Allow yourself to be happy. Like Gracie’s done with that scientist she’s in love with.”

Grace took a shuddery breath as she said, “Daddy’s right. You need to move on. Please.”

Awhile later, Barry and Grace walked out of the prison and Grace turned to him. “I didn’t come looking for you to visit daddy, I came looking for you to tell you why dad and Dr. Wells didn’t want you there.”

“You know?”

He nodded. “I know,” she said. “I was standing there when he announced it.”

“Announced what? Who?”

“Eddie got approval for his fucking task force, Barry. He wants to take down the Flash and he’s going to be at S.T.A.R. Labs tonight waiting for the Reverse-Flash. That’s why dad didn’t want you there. Eddie’s got orders to shoot you on sight.”

“He couldn’t even--”

“I know, but Eddie’s hellbent on capturing the Flash because of Iris’ infatuation with him. I don’t even wanna know what he’d do to you once he got his hands on you.”

Barry sighed and nodded. “So, now, what?”

“Now, you go back to the house and tell Iris how you feel.”

“What?!” Barry exclaimed. “I can’t do that.”

“Yes, you can. If I can date one of my best friends you can date yours. Go.”

* * *

 

With nothing else to do, Grace went to her office to work on things there, when she got a text from Caitlin about 2 hours in saying, ****S.O.S.****  She quickly grabbed her suit and changed. She then flew out her window and using her hyper-speed flight she flew to the lab, to see Barry and Reverse-Flash go through the skylight, almost knocking her out of the sky. She looked below and saw Cisco and Caitlin down there. She landed next to them. “Couldn’t resist could you?”

Caitlin yelped, while Cisco smiled. “Not always.”

The two speedsters fought, but when the Reverse Flash attempted to choke Barry, Grace stepped out of the shadows. “HEY!”

“Grace!” Cisco and Caitlin exclaimed.

Her voice didn’t seem to get his attention. “Hey, Jackass, how about you pick on someone who will put a bigger fight?”

The Reverse-Flash turned to her. “How are you going to do that, Grace?”

She took a deep breath and used her cold power and her air power and started blowing freezing cold air in the Reverse’s direction. She blew in time for Barry to get up and get a few blows into the Reverse before he let go of Barry and slammed Grace into the cement.

However instead of going down like she was supposed to, Grace seemed to of disappeared. Caitlin gasped. Cisco’s face scrunched in horror. “NO! GRACE!”

They watched in awe as the ground seemed to rumble and shift and then something came crashing through right underneath both men. Cisco’s heart thudded in his chest in relief when he realized it was Grace. She grabbed Reverse’s legs and pulled his feet out from under him. She came out of the ground. She panted. “If you want me gone, you’re gonna have to do a lot better than that.”

She got out of the ground and punched Reverse again. Reverse stood and attempted to attack both Barry and Grace when a great plume of fire came after Reverse-Flash. He moved away and looked at Barry. “Our race is not yet done. See you soon, Flash.”

Grace moved to her brother as Cisco came up beside him and Caitlin went to Ronnie. He looked at Caitlin. “Don't look for me again.” He took off into the sky using his fire powers.

Grace sighed and looked up at her brother. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. That was pretty good, Little Sister.”

She smiled, laughing softly. “Thanks. Thank Cisco he’s the one that had us figuring out that cold stops speed, so I combined two of my powers and froze him until you could get up.” She rubbed her neck. “I just wasn’t expecting to get slammed into the ground.”

Cisco walked over to her and kissed her lips. “I gotta say, your disappearing act was kinda cool.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you. Would you believe me if I told you that like you I just discovered I could do that?”

Barry laughed. “Really?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I knew being slammed into the ground was inevitable, so I closed my eyes and prepared for it, but it didn’t come. Instead I found myself in the ground and instinctively knowing what to do. It was kinda weird.”

Cisco laughed softly. “Well, I don’t care.” He kissed her again. “As long as you’re here…”

She smiled. “Right. Love you.”

“Love you too,” he said and kissed her again.

* * *

 

Grace walked into the precinct and looked around for Joe. She smiled at Eddie. “Um…I’m sorry.”

He smiled at her. “I’m sorry too.”

She exhaled softly. “You’re dating my sister, someone I love and adore more than anything. We need to learn to get along, but we’re gonna disagree on this, no way around it, Eddie. I think the Flash and Gaia do save this City and you’re never gonna convince me otherwise, but I may have come down on you a little too harshly.”

“Actually you didn’t. You were right. I did have an ulterior motive to take him out, but after tonight.”

She smiled. “I know. My dad told me. You okay?”

He nodded. “I am, thank you. Your dad’s upstairs talking to Barry.”

She smiled and hugged him. She started walking away and then stopped. “Eddie.” He turned. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“You’re a hero too. I know sometimes us normal people stop to thank you guys, so I wanted you to know that your work deserves a thank you. So, thank you.”

He smiled. “Thank you, Grace.”

She smiled and walked upstairs. She walked into her brother’s lab to him say, “I mean, the truth is I'm stuck here... in Central City. Fear has kept me in that living room for 14 years.”

“So, get out of the damn living room and explore the rest of the house, Big Brother.”

He laughed softly. “Hey, I thought you’d be with Cisco…”

She shook her head. “He’s back at the Lab patching up the Doc. Thought I’d come check on my two favorite men.”

Joe smiled and kissed her temple.

Barry looked at him and admitted, “Joe, I... I was mad at you for being scared. But I mean, the truth is I was the one that was scared. I've been afraid of the man in yellow for my whole life. That's why I lost.”

Grace sniffled and put an arm around Joe’s shoulders as he said, “When you two first moved in with us, I thought it was gonna be too much. I'm already a single dad. Finances were tough. And you were two kids who just lost their mother. But, man, was I wrong. Especially with you, Bar. Within two weeks, you two had changed the whole dynamic of the house.” He looked at Barry. “Suddenly, the house was filled with this... Light.. This energy. I mean, you brightened up everything. You'd seen more darkness than any man will in a lifetime, and you never let it dim your soul. So there I was, thinking that I'm changing your life by taking you in, but... The truth is…” His voice cracked with emotion. “You changed mine.” He took Grace’s hand. “You both did.” He looked at Barry. “So don't lose that light now, Bar. The world may need the Flash, but... I need my Barry Allen.”

Grace let out a shuddery gasp as she tried to stop the tears. Joe pulled her and Barry into a hug. She hugged them both tightly. “I don’t know if I could have gotten over any of it,” Grace said, “If it wasn’t for you, dad.” She wiped her tears. “You wanna know why I started calling you dad?”

He looked at her curiously and she smiled. “Because that first year while we were with you you had become my rock. I knew to get myself the rest of the way out of the tunnel I was thrown into fourteen years ago I needed to know that someone would take my hand and pull me out, that’s you, dad.”

He hugged them both again and said, “Let's go home.”

* * *

 

Joe unlocked the door and Grace scoffed, laughing as she hit Barry. “Shut up! I did not.”

He laughed. “You did too!” he laughed. “All over Santa.” He looked up. “Hey. What are you guys doing here?”

“I invited them,” Joe told him. “Well, Cisco’s dating your sister now, so we gotta get to know him and Caitlin’s a friend…”

Barry smiled.

Grace looked at everyone. “Where’s Dr. Wells?”

“Uh, he wasn't feeling up to a social gathering, but he appreciated the invitation.” She pointed toward where the drinks were. “Eggnog?”

“Yes.”

“Please,” she said smiling.

Barry walked over to Eddie and Iris and congratulated them on moving in together. While Cisco walked up to Grace as Joe walked up. “Um…I’ve been meaning to ask you something, but we haven’t really seen a lot of each other.”

She nodded and sipped her eggnog. “Okay,” she said finally.

He took a breath and said, “Will you meet my family?”

She smiled, her heart literally leaping out of her chest with joy. “Really?”

He nodded. He shook his head. “I don’t want to go at snail’s pace with you anymore. I know this seems a little unorthodox with everything we’ve talked about, but I’ve been itching to do it for weeks and my mom’s been asking to meet the amazing girl that’s made me smile again after the tragedy last year. Her words, not mine.”

She smiled and walked to him, closing the gap between them. She kissed his lips softly. “I would love to meet your family, Baby.”

He sighed. “Oh, good.” He smiled at Joe as he walked up and took a sip of his eggnog when Cisco did.

“Mm. Day like today, grandma Esther's eggnog seems a little light on the bourbon.” All 3 of them laughed.

Cisco cleared his throat. “Hey, Joe.” He sighed. “I know how important Christmas is to you and everything so I’m asking--”

“You wanna steal my daughter away to go meet your family, right?”

He nodded. “If that’s okay. I’d totally understand if it wasn’t--”

He chuckled. “Relax, Cisco, it’s fine. Just come by later so we can open presents, okay?”

He nodded. “Okay.” He smiled. “Thank you.”

He shocked Cisco and hugged the young man. “Thank you.”

“Uh…” he stuttered, confusedly.

“For making Gracie happy again.” He pulled back and smiled. “But you hurt her and I’ll break your legs.”

He laughed. “Good to know.” He sipped again. “Joe.”

“Hmm?”

“I saw something weird tonight.”

“Yeah, Cisco, I saw it too.”

Grace laughed.

“No, I mean, when the Flash and the man in yellow were going full-on bumper cars on each other, I was watching the electricity coming off of them...yellow and red electricity.”

Grace gasped. “Yeah…I saw it too, but I didn’t…”

“When Barry was a kid, he said he saw red and yellow lightning in his house the night their mother died.”

“There were two of them.”

“The man in yellow may have killed Barry's mother, but...there was another speedster there that night.”

“Oh, God…so, who was the other one?”

“Hey, dad, it’s time.”

“Okay,” he said. He looked at Grace. “Will you sing?”

Her heart thudded in her chest. “Wha…what?”

“Will you sing?” He smiled and walked to another part of the living room. He pulled up her old guitar she got at a second hand shop. “I got it restringed.”

She gasped, handing her cup to Cisco. “No…way!”

He smiled, hugely. “Will you, please?”

She smiled, her eyes tearing up. She looked at Barry and Iris. “This is why I hate Christmas,” she said as she wiped her tears away. She smiled at Joe. “Yes, I’ll sing.”

“Oh, this is going to be awesome!” Cisco said and sat back down on the couch.

She laughed. “Don’t get too excited, babe. You haven’t heard me yet.”

She sat down on the coffee table and gently plucked the strings. She tuned it for a second and then began playing the song that she remembered mom and dad played right before they lit the tree. She cleared her throat and started singing:

__Silent night, Holy night,_ _

__All is calm, All is bright__ __Round yon virgin mother and child.__ __Holy infant so tender and mild,__ __Sleep in heavenly peace.__ __Sleep in heavenly peace.__

 _ _Silent night, Holy night,__ __Shepherds quake at the sight,__ __Glories stream from heaven afar,__ __Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;__ __Christ the Savior, is born!__ __Christ the Savior, is born!__

 _ _Silent night, Holy night,__ __Son of God, Love's pure light__ __Radiant beams from thy holy face,__ __With the dawn of redeeming grace,__ __Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.__ __Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.__

__

When she finished, Joe lit up the tree, as his dark eyes glistened. Barry, Iris and Caitlin were in tears also, while Eddie and Cisco were in awe. Iris smiled. “As amazing as always, Gracie.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Iris.”

“Yeah, I have to admit, singing wouldn’t have been one of the things I thought you’d be good at,” Eddie admitted.

She laughed. “Thanks.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean--”

“I know what you meant and thank you.” She tilted her head up as Joe kissed her cheek.

“Love you, Princess.”

“Love you too, dad.”

She exhaled as she watched their…family co-mingle with each other. It may have all started with a tragedy of the explosion, but if anyone had told her that by that same time this year she’d end up with entirely new family she wouldn’t have believed them.

However, she knew as she watched them now that that’s exactly what they had become…her family. And for Grace, there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her family.

(Inspiration for Grace's voice)


	18. Christmas with the Ramons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the Ramones goes well....sort of?
> 
> Cisco and Grace take another step...or is it a half-step?

Cisco awoke to the most amazing feeling in the world. He moaned and arched, then he heard her moan. He looked down his long body and saw his wife’s brunette hair going up and down on him. “Oh, God…babe.”

Grace stopped and raised her head. “Morning, Baby.”

He smiled and pulled her up the length of him. “Morning, Beautiful.” He kissed her, long and hard. He rolled them onto their sides and slowly slid into her. He started off nice and slow.

She gripped the sheet and moaned loudly as their bodies began slapping together. “Oh….damn…..Cisco.”

He gripped her hip roughly and began slamming into her like a desperate man. “I can’t…..” He moved harder and faster, “…..get enough. Get on top,” he said gruffly in her ear.

He stopped her hips and he looked up at her. He let her get used to him and then he slowly pumped in and out of her. He pulled on her arms and then took her mouth on her whimpered squeal. As gentle, teasing kisses passed between them they began to move in a rhythm. Her whimpers and moans driving him in deeper and deeper.

“Oh, my God….” She whispered. This is what this was supposed to feel like. This intense, can’t-get-enough feeling. “Cisco….”

“Yes,” he growled. He’d had sex with enough women to know that this was different. To know that this connection was different with her. He felt her slid down on him as he slid up and the warm moisture he felt was amazing. He growled again when she kissed him hard and began slamming herself down on him, their bodies making a smacking sound.

She whimpered against his lips and smiled when she heard him growl. She would have never thought she’d be able to draw out so many moans, groans, and growls from a man. She put her hands on each side of his head and bent her head down to whisper, “Harder,” into his ear.

Without being told twice, he did just that. For a few moments the only sounds in the room were two bodies mating and the mutual sounds of pleasure. Her whole body was on fire with pleasure as she felt herself get higher and higher. The building shivers consumed her and her body began convulsing as she screamed her orgasm.

He let her ride it out as he felt her walls spasm around his cock. He moaned. “Yes, that’s it, baby.”

She released a whimpered squeal as they continued to work in tandem with each other. She sat up and began to move wildly against him. Then she came forward and kissed him. She looked down at him as they slowed down their gyrations. “I love you.”

He kissed her softly. “And I love you.” He then tucked an arm around her waist and flipped her on to her back. He slid deeper inside and moaned. “You feel SO good, baby.”

“You too,” she muttered. “Cisco….”

“Yes?”

“Make love to me,” she told him. “Don’t hold back.”

He began to move, fanning the sparks of arousal into a leaping flame. His thrusts were slow and measured and she let the sensations take her. Friction on friction, they pummeled each other to the edge. With one last deep thrust from him, they both came in a body shaking orgasm. He collapsed on top of her, trying to even his breathing.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, they just listened to the rhythmic pants of two people physically exerted. Finally, Grace tilted her head to look at him and she crawled into the crook of his arm and rested her cheek against his pec. “That was amazing.”

He smiled up into the ceiling. “Mind-blowing is a better description.”

This moment was everything she had hoped it would be. “You okay?”

He ran his fingers languidly through her hair. “Yeah. I want you to meet my family, but I’m nervous about it.”

With him still running his fingers through her hair, she flipped onto her stomach and rested her chin on his side. She knew from the stories that Cisco told her about his family he had a complicated relationship with them. “Why?”

He sighed. “Well, Dante’s going to try to flirt with you. He does that.”

She smiled and kissed his chest. “He can certainly try but by your description of the guy he sounds like my exes and there’s a reason why they’re my exes.” She kissed his chest again. “Baby, I’m with you. I’m madly in love with you. That won’t change because I meet your brother.”

“You haven’t met him yet,” he muttered as he gently pushed her off him and got out of bed.

She sat up, sitting on her knees. “Francisco Javier Ramon.”

He stilled and turned. “What?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him senseless. “I’m not any of the girlfriends you’ve had before. If you wanna know my honest opinion of your brother--just by your description--he sounds like a major dick.”

He laughed and kissed her. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she said and kissed him again. “Now come take a shower with me.”

*************************

About an hour and half later, they were standing on the porch of Cisco’s childhood home and Grace turned to Cisco and watched him take a few breaths. With a cloth bag in one hand, she took his hand with the other and intertwined their fingers, squeezing in support.

He smiled, kissed her temple and then walked into the house. “Mama. We’re here.” He rounded the corner to go into the dining-living room combination and his heart thudded in his chest. His mother was fawning all over his older brother…like always. “Mama,” he said raising his voice.

She smiled. Mrs. Ramon was a beautiful woman with dark hair and dark eyes and a beautiful smile. Grace walked with Cisco to greet his mother. He kissed her cheek. “Hi, mama.”

“Hello, Cisco.”

“Mama, this is Grace. Grace, this is my mother.”

She smiled. “Hi, Mrs. Ramon. It’s so nice to meet you.”

“You too, Grace.” She looked Grace up and down and then looked her in the eyes. “You’re are really very beautiful.” She looked at Cisco. “Great birthing hips, Francisco, good choice.”

“Ma!” he exclaimed under his breath.

“Thank you, ma’am,” she smiled. “If you think I’m beautiful you should have seen my mother.”

“Oh! Is your mother okay with the fact that you’re here and not at her home?”

She nodded. “My mother would be perfectly okay with it.”

Cisco smiled. “Mama, remember I told you that Grace’s mother died when she was a young girl.”

“Oh, right! I’m sorry.”

She smiled. “It’s okay. My mom loved Christmas, but I think she would have loved Cisco and would have been okay with me here for the day.”

“Hey, man,” Dante said. “Glad you could make it.”

“It’s Christmas. Where else would I be?”

Dante smiled at Grace. “Hi, I’m Dante.”

“This is my girlfriend, Grace.”

“Wow…” he said still smiling, but Grace noticed it slid into a flirty smile. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled, put her hand in Cisco’s. “Thank you, Dante.”

“Dante’s a musical prodigy,” Mrs. Ramon gushed.

“Yes, so I’ve heard,” she smiled. “You must be very proud, Mrs. Ramon.”

“Yes, we are. So, Francisco tells us you’re a musical prodigy yourself.”

“I didn’t say that,” Cisco countered.

She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Baby.” She looked at his family. “I, um…excelled in music in school and was in a few musicals in high school.”

“But you never pursued it?” Dante asked.

She shook her head. “No. I found music to be an outlet for myself when--at the time--my world ended. No, I went to school for several--”

“You went to college then?” Mrs. Ramon interjected.

“Yes, ma’am I did.”

“Grace has several degrees. Most of them in science. And if she wants she could actually pursue medicine.”

She laughed softly. She had a feeling from what Cisco had told her about growing up with the golden boy of the Ramon family that he was trying to prove that he did something good. She cupped her hand into his arm and turned her head away as she whispered, “I love you.”

Mrs. Ramon watched the interaction between the two of them and she could see the immense love that passed between the two of them. She could honestly say that the two of them seemed very much in love with each other.  

“Well, who is this lovely little thing?”

Cisco smiled. “Papa, this is my girlfriend, Grace. Grace, my father.”

Grace smiled. “Mr. Ramon,” she held out her hand.

He smiled and folded her into his arms. “We don’t shake hands in this family, especially when you’ll more than likely become family.”

She hugged the older man gratefully, passing Cisco her bag and folding him into a more affectionate hug. She hadn’t realized just how much Cisco had talked about her to his family. Mr. Ramon looked at the fact that she had her coat on. “Cisco! Where are your manners?! You’re supposed to offer to take her jacket.”

“Oh, sorry, Papa--”

“No, Cisco,” she said. She looked at Mr. Ramon. “I appreciate the gesture, Sir, but we just got here and it’s helping to take the chill off.” She winked at Cisco and smiled at him. “I’ll take your jacket though, Babe.” She looked at Mrs. Ramon. “If you’ll show me where to put our jackets…”

“Of course,” Mrs. Ramon said. She ushered into the master bedroom where there were a bunch of jackets laid out on the bed.

Grace laid their coats on the bed and turned to look out.

“You really love my son don’t you?”

She nodded. “Very much so, ma’am.” A small smile slid across her lips. “I’d love to marry him if he’d have me that long.”

To say his mother was floored was an understatement. “Really? How long have you guys been together?”

“Um…about a year,” she said.

His mother gasped and then walked out of the room. “Francisco!”

“Wha…what?” Cisco said coming into the living room.

“You’ve been dating her for almost a year and we’re just now meeting her?!”

Cisco looked at Grace and she shrugged. “Well, mom, I told you she was in the explosion the day we began dating and then her brother was in a coma for nine months. She didn’t want to leave her brother’s side.” He held out the bag. “Grace made dessert and eggnog--Puerto Rican style.”

His father gasped. “Oh, really? That would definitely be something to try!”

Grace walked up to Cisco as Mr. Ramon and Dante walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Ramon went to greet one of Cisco’s cousins. Grace sighed. “I told you I suck at meeting parents. Your mom hates me.”

“I love you,” he said and kissed her softly. “And it doesn’t matter if they hate you or not I’m staying.”

She exhaled. “Really? I read that most Puerto Rican boys have to have their mother’s approval with whichever girl they choose. So, I figured--”

He silenced her with a kiss. He pulled back and shook his head. “Totally untrue. It might be true for Dante, but not me. As much as I love my family you’ll come first.”

Her heart hammered hard in her chest and she just stared down at him. She had never had a guy say that to her before. It actually felt nice to be someone’s priority. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his neck, “You are so getting laid later, Mr. Ramon.”

He laughed and kissed her.

“Cisco.”

He turned and smiled at his father. “Yes, sir.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

Dante walked over. “I got her, Little Brother.”

Cisco looked back at her and she nodded. “Go ahead.”

He walked off with his father and looked at his dad. “Sir?”

“Your mother told me that this relationship is serious. You’ve been dating for a year?”

He bobbed his head back and forth for a second. “Not quite a year, but yes, sir. Grace includes the time that we were friends only.”

Mr. Ramon smiled. “You’re really happy.”

He nodded. “I am.” He sighed. “Papa, I love her. For me she’s the one. And right now she believes mama doesn’t like her.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about your mother. She’ll get used to it. Whether she wants to or not. Myself however, I’m looking forward to getting to know the newest future Mrs. Ramon.”

He laughed and hugged his dad. “Thanks.”

* * *

At dinner, there was the ease of conversation and she answered all the family’s questions that were tossed at her. And his mother seemed to warm up to her after awhile. She even gave Grace recipes to some of Cisco’s favorite dishes. Cisco reassured her that it was because she was accepting her and trying and that his father absolutely adored her.

They left awhile later, and headed for the West house. As he parked along the curb, they got out of the car and Cisco took her hand as they walked to the door. “So, do you think it went well?”

He smiled and stopped her as her heels sank into the snow. “It did.” He smiled and took her face in his hands. “Sweetheart, I told you not to expect anything real special or extravagant. However, I can promise you that my father likes you. When he hugged me he whispered that he approved of my choice.”

She smiled and hugged him, feeling relieved. She stopped on the other side of the street. “Oh, we forgot the presents in the trunk.”

“I’ll get them.”

She nodded. “I’ll wait here. Heels and snow aren’t friendly.”

He laughed and kissed her. He went back to the car and popped the trunk. He pulled the bags of gifts from the trunk and then joined her. She took a couple of the bags, which freed up his hand and she took it, intertwining their fingers.

She dropped his hand and walked into the house. “Dad?”

Joe smiled. “Princess!”

She laughed and hugged her dad. She then walked over to Barry while Joe hugged Cisco. She hugged him tight. He kissed her temple like he always did. “How’d it go?”

“Cisco says it went great, but I still don’t think his mother likes me.”

Iris’ jaw dropped. “Ooh. Who doesn’t like you?”

“Cisco’s mother. She actually seemed put out when I told her I was serious about her son.”

“Gracie, baby, I told you not to worry about my mother. She’ll come around. You got my father’s ringing endorsement and for now that’s okay. And Dante likes you. He’s not entirely sure what you’re doing with me, but he said he liked you.”

She laughed. “I didn’t like the gushing of your brother. I mean no offense to Dante, but I would have rather heard about your achievements and not your brother’s.”

He laughed. “If you were waiting for that you aren’t going to get it from my family.”

Iris waved her hands in a way to end the conversation. “Enough. Let’s have some eggnog and open presents.”

Grace watched as her family welcomed Cisco with open arms and included him in on the festivities. She walked to her dad and put an arm around his waist. “Thank you.”

He kissed her hair. “For what?”

“Accepting the fact that even though it’s only been a few months that I am serious about him.”

He kissed her hair again. “Princess, I can see that you’re serious about him just by the way you look at him or talk about him. And I know that your dad would be okay with him too.”

He curled her into his arms. “And give Cisco’s mother time. She’ll realize that she better start liking you sooner or later. And when she does you’ll never get rid of her.”

She smiled and squeezed him. “She did say I have excellent birthing hips.”

“Wha--what?”

She nodded. “I know. It surprised me too, but apparently my hips are well proportioned to give birth. Which if you know anything about women’s anatomy, it’s really not a factor since our bodies were built to accommodate and adapt to any birthing situation.

He laughed. “That’s because you’re Superwomen,” Joe told her.

“Hey, Gracie, who gets this one?”

She looked at the small box. “Cisco. I took the idea from Eddie.” She winked at the blond haired guy. She looked at Barry. “Yours are the red papered ones. Dad gets the colorful paper. Iris gets purple. Um…Cisco gets silver. And Eddie gets the candy cane stripped ones.”

“You got me gifts too?” Eddie said looking up at her.

She smiled and sat down on the floor with her brother. “Of course, Eddie. I may have gotten Cisco’s family gift cards, but I went shopping with Iris for yours. You need gifts to open too.”

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

They went around and Joe opened his first and then thanked everyone. Then it was Eddie, then Cisco. Cisco got to Gracie’s gifts. A large square-rectangular present and then the small one that Barry had given him. He opened the big one first. He gasped. “Oh, my God….!”

“What is it?” Eddie asked.

“A signed Wrath of Khan poster!” he exclaimed.

“It’s signed?” Joe asked.

He nodded. “Yep. By Kirk, Spock and Khan.” He looked at Grace. “Thanks, Baby.” He kissed her. “I __love__ it!”

“It’s also got um…George Takei too,” she said and peeled back the paper.

Cisco smiled. “And Sulu.” He kissed her again.

“Open the small one,” Iris said. “I have a feeling I know what it is if she got the idea from Eddie.”

He unwrapped the box and pulled up the top. Sitting inside was a silver key. He looked at her, confusedly. “A key?”

She nodded. “To my apartment. No, I’m not asking you to move in…yet.We’ve talked about that, but I’m giving you the key so you can come and go as you please.”

He knew the gesture. He had done the same for her a couple of weeks ago. He leaned forward and kissed her. “Thank you, baby.”

The gift opening continued and Grace watched. She was so happy right now she couldn’t wait to see what next year brought them all.


	19. Revenge of the Rogues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Cold is back...and this time he brought his partner, that Cisco dubs Heatwave.
> 
> Meanwhile, Grace finally proves her worth to the team and gets injured in the process of saving lives.

It was a cold, rainy winter day in Central City as the entire team was out at Ferris Airstrip running tests on Barry’s speed and helping him get faster. As always, when it came to these stupid things Grace was sidelined and just told to watch and observe. It was really beginning to piss her off, but the step in the right direction was it wasn’t coming from Cisco, Caitlin or Barry this time. This time it was Wells.

She’d been noticing lately that Wells seemed to be strangely obsessed with getting Barry faster. At first it hadn’t sparked curiosity when he wanted to study her brother, but now he was like cutting Barry off from doing what he had set out to do. She had joined her brother to help him get dangerous metahumans off the streets and to make Central City safer, but they hadn’t been doing any of that.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that soon she’d be doing that part alone for awhile, because unlike her brother she wasn’t going to give up on making this City safer not if she could stop them. She turned when she heard Cisco’s drone firing at her brother. She watched. She knew Barry wanted a challenge and Cisco was giving it to him, keeping in mind the warning that Caitlin and Wells gave him too.

However, on this last round of firings, he was getting pretty close. Caitlin walked over to where she and Cisco stood. “That was too close.”

“He told me to make it hard.”

“Pretty sure he didn't tell you to make him dead.”

“Relax, Caitlin, if I had a problem with it, Cisco would know.”

“Remember, this is just supposed to be a training exercise to improve Barry's speed.”

“Cisco, you gonna bring it or what?” Barry asked over the comm.

Cisco smirked at Grace and she nodded, saying in unison with Wells, “Bring it.”

This time Cisco fired a missile and it exploded near Barry sending him flying forward. He landed hard and rolled. They watched as he slowly stood and then faced off with the drone like a bull and bullfighter. He then took off and went faster than the missile and grabbed it. He then threw it at the drone, causing both to explode on impact.

They stopped to give Barry a food break and then as Barry prepared for another round, Grace looked at him and Cisco and said, “I gotta go. I promised Iris I’d meet her for coffee.” She walked up to her brother and hugged him. “Bye, B.”

He kissed her hair. He knew why she was feeling the way she was, because she felt left out again. He hated knowing she was feeling like that, but Wells made it difficult to say no to him, so Barry hadn’t said anything. So, he wasn’t, but it still bothered him. “Bye, Kiddo. Love you.”

“Love you too.” She walked over to Cisco and put her arms around his neck. “And you…don’t try to kill my brother, okay?”

He laughed softly and kissed her deeply. “I promise.” He looked into her eyes. “I love you.”

She smiled and kissed him this time. “And I love you. Call you later.”

“How is she, Barry?” Caitlin asked.

“How would you be when you realize that more than likely you’ll be sidelined for the fight against the man that killed your mother?”

Caitlin winced. Wells didn’t look up as he said, “She’ll get over it. This is about you, Barry--”

“This is about Grace too,” Barry countered. “Mom was her mother too. It’s not fair to sideline her when the Reverse-Flash shows up. And it shouldn’t be just about me, Harrison and you know it. This is her fight as much as mine.”

* * *

 

Grace walked into Jitters and searched the place for her sister. She smiled when seen her sitting at a 2-seater table. She walked over to the table and sat down. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Iris said. “Glad you could make it.”

She smiled. “Of course, Iris. You’re my sister just as much as Barry is my brother.”

Iris smiled. She loved it when she said that and she felt like Grace really meant it too. “Thanks. I ordered a pumpkin spice cappuccino for you. They’ll be pulling them soon so I ordered it for you.”

“Cool. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Grace sipped the cappuccino and then looked at her sister. “So, what’s up?”

“I don’t know if you know this, but, um…Barry told me how he feels.”

She nodded. “I know. I’ve known it for awhile.”

She exhaled. “Of course you have.”

“What’s the matter?” she asked. “I know he knows that he missed the opportunity.” She eyed the woman she loved more than someone would love a sister. She lifted a brown brown and asked, “He did miss it, didn’t he?”

“Well, I am with Eddie,” Iris said looking down into her coffee.

“But?” Grace asked looking at her past the rim of her cup.

“But now I can’t seem to get it out of my head.”

“What that my brother’s in love with you and has been since he was eleven years old?”

She nodded. “Gracie, I didn’t even….how could his confession make me do this?”

She shrugged. “Maybe because you’re now thinking of the what if?”

“What if?”

“Do you like him, romantically?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.” And she really didn’t. She had no idea what she was thinking. But she couldn’t get his confession out of her mind.

* * *

 

The Customs Warehouse was crawling with cops. A forensics photographer was taking photographs of the scene. Barry was checking out the scene, while Joe was talking to one of his guys. “Are you sure nothing's missing?”

“That's what the supervisor said.” Joe looked dumbfounded. “I can check again,” the officer said.

“Bar.”

“Hey.”

“Well, the breakage indicates that the door somehow had zero viscoelasticity when it hit the ground.”

“What does that mean to normal people?”

“Sorry. Uh...the steel shattered like glass.” He picked up a piece of the metal and looked at it. “It was frozen, Joe,” he said looking up at his foster dad.

“Snart.”

“He's back,” Barry said.

“I thought Snart was some world-class thief. All these expensive cars...he didn't take any of them? It doesn't make sense,” Eddie said, confused.

Joe looked at him. “Eddie, put out an APB on Snart.”

“Got it.”

Barry dropped the metal. “Snart wasn't here to steal anything. He was setting a trap. For me. And by me, I mean…”

“Yeah, I know who you meant.”

********************

Grace stood in S.T.A.R. Labs and listened as Barry told everyone that Captain Cold was back.

“Captain Cold is back?” Cisco asked.

“For a non-metahuman, Leonard Snart is proving to be quite the Nemesis.”

“He still has the cold gun, the one he stole from us, the one I built.”

“Cisco, baby, you have to got to stop with that. It wasn’t your fault that someone was so easily bought.”

“Well, what does he want this time?”

“The Flash,” Barry said.

“Of course he does,” Grace muttered. “You’re only one that he knows he can have stop chasing him.”

“If Snart wants a fight with the Flash, then I'll give him one.”

“Well…”

“You don't think I should?” Barry asked.

“I didn't say that. But, Barry, as fast as you are, you cannot be everywhere at once. And it becomes then a question of priorities. Now, in the last month, you have made a commitment to increasing your speed, enhancing your reflexes, and it's working. You're finally getting faster.”

Grace couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Okay, but what am I supposed to do, just ignore Snart?”

“The last time you had a fight with Snart, a train derailed. You were lucky to get all those people to safety. And if you don't give him that fight…”

“He may just back off, and there'll be no casualties,” Barry said.

“Or it could be worse,” Grace said.

Ignoring her, Wells said, “Look, Barry, Cisco and I will work with Joe and the police and devise a way to catch cold. Yes, I said it, Cisco. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I heard it.”

“Yeah, we can definitely come up with ways to neutralize Snart,” Cisco said.

“Listen, Barry. Whether or not you go after Snart, that's your choice. We here, we will do whatever we can to support you. But after this past Christmas, after the events with the reverse-Flash... I just think he poses a greater threat to all of us,” Wells told him.

“Okay.”

Grace scoffed. “Well, you all got it worked out.”

They all turned to Grace and she looked at them all. “Finally, remembered I was here huh?” She shook her head when Barry opened his mouth. “Don’t. I get it. Reverse-Flash is more important.” She nodded. “Well, since you obviously don’t need me--even though the asshole killed my mother too--I’ll leave you all to figuring out a way to get rid of Snart and Reverse-Flash.” She exhaled. She looked at her brother. “You know, I always knew that at some point we’d drift apart a little, but I always thought it’d be when we got married. Not because some stupid Scientist thinks that making sure you’re much faster is more important than actually helping our foster father with something that we both know that the Police Department can’t fix.”

“Grace, that’s not--”

“Don’t tell me what’s not fair, Barry!” She screamed. “Don’t you dare! He killed mom and you all expect me to sit back and pretend like it doesn’t matter. That it doesn’t piss me off like it does you. That it doesn’t hurt that Wells has all but called me useless as you try to get faster. Well I’m sorry it does! It pissed me off more than you could ever think! It hurts that no one in this room bothers to realize that she wasn’t just Barry’s mom. I mean, I get reminded of her everyday. And do we know why?” She quickly wiped her tears. “Because I’m the one that looks __just__  like her. I’m her fucking doppleganger! But go. Have fun.”

She then flew away quickly.

******************

-Starling City…..

Grace couldn’t believe it. She was in Starling City. She hadn’t intentionally meant to be here. Maybe it’s because and as strange as it would seem she knew of one person in this town who knew what it felt like to feel out of place. She pulled her phone out of her pocket as she dialed a number. She smiled. “Hey, it’s me. I’m in town. Can we meet?”

“Sure,” the person said on the other end. “Meet me at Jitters.”

Grace went to Jitters and waited. She smiled when the pretty blond walked in with her boyfriend. As Lexy approached the table, Grace noted that her eyes looked sad. “Everything okay?”

She nodded. “Everything’s fine.” She smiled. “What do I owe the pleasure of a visit, Aunt Grace?”

Grace smiled. “Um…if I tell you something can it stay between us?”

She nodded and slid into a seat across from her. “Of course.”

“Good. I would talk to Iris about this, but she doesn’t know about me and Barry yet and my dad would kill me if she knew.”

Lexy nodded. “Okay. What’s up?”

Grace took a deep breath and told the girl everything that had happened with the Leonard Snart, Reverse-Flash and what’s going on at S.T.A.R. Labs. “I told you all that to ask you this, if you were me, what would you do?”

“Well, um…personally, I would have forced my way into being heard. I would have forced them to __see__ me.” She looked at her friend. “Gracie, did you ever think of basically __telling__ your brother and everyone else that you’re going to do this with or without them talking you through it?” She exhaled. “You can’t leave that entire city vulnerable to Snart. Not if he has Cisco’s cold gun to be his back up. If your dad’s anything like mine, he would be disappointed in Barry’s decision to only focus on the Reverse-Flash and not helping him keep the city safe. So, you know what, you do it.”

“Aly’s right, Grace,” Nick said. “By the sounds of it, the only way anyone’s going to take you seriously is if you force them to. So, if your brother’s not going to help then be your city’s last line of defense. Take on Snart and whomever else and tell them flat out just because the Flash isn’t here doesn’t mean that the City’s vulnerable for a takeover by the jackasses.”

Grace exhaled. “I don’t know if I can. I’ve spent the better part of a year hiding what I can do, suppressing it so that no one discovers it.”

“Well don’t anymore. Do what your brother has done,” Lexy told her. “Integrate every one of yours or most of them to your everyday life. Make them work for you. And the next time that this Wells jackass becomes tunnel-visoned by your brother you’ll know that your dad and the City will be safe because you’ll be there.”

Grace nodded. She knew what to do now. She thanked them and left.

* * *

 

Grace got back to Central City and was actually emotionally exhausted. She walked into the precinct, took a deep breath as she said goodbye to Iris. She smiled at Eddie. “Finalizing moving in details?”

He nodded. “And easing her doubts I think.”

She nodded. “That’s cool. Dad and Barry upstairs?”

He nodded. “Yep.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Eddie.”

She climbed the stairs and stopped outside of Barry’s lab as she overheard Joe and Barry talking.

“And as the Flash, I don't think I can focus on Snart right now.”

“You mind telling me what brought about this change of heart?”

“This man in yellow, the man that killed my mom, is still out there. I have to be ready to face him, which means amping up my speed. It's a question of priorities.”

“Your mom's killer isn't the only reason you've been doing this. You told me that if you could use your powers to save someone from a burning building, you would.”

“Look, Dr. Wells and S.T.A.R. Labs are gonna work with you. Cisco thinks he has a way to protect the police against Snart's cold gun.”

“Barry, I can understand if you're scared. We talked about this.”

“Of course I'm scared, Joe. This guy could run into the precinct and kill everyone in here in seconds. He threatened Iris. I won't let him hurt the most important people in my life again. If that means devoting every second I have outside this place to getting faster and to stopping him, then that's what I'm gonna do. I'm sorry. I've made up my mind.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing there’s two meta-humans on this team, Big Brother. And since you don’t need me to help get you better then I’ll help dad and Eddie against Snart.”

“Do you think you can?” Joe asked and immediately regretted it.

She gasped. “You know, just because I never use my powers to function in everyday life doesn’t mean I don’t know how to. I control the Earth’s elements, dad. Which means, the cold won’t affect me. And it also means I can hurt him right back.” She glared at her brother. “I’m on this team too and if you won’t let me join you in the fight against the man who killed __our__ mother, then I’ll save the damn City. At least I know they need me.”

“Ooh, that was a low blow, Gracie,” Joe said.

“Low blow?” Grace said. “Well, dad, how about this? How about the fact that ever since we both went up against the Reverse-Flash Wells has basically said I’m useless in this fight against him. Even though Nora Allen was my mother too. And that night affects me just as much as it does Barry. But everyone seems to forget about me. Along the way everyone seems to have forgotten that I saved the All-mighty Flash’s ass in the last fight! If I hadn’t you might actually be dead!”

“Whoa, Grace, I never said--”

“But you didn’t exactly stop him from saying it did you? You know in the fifteen years that mom’s been dead no one seems to bother to ask me how much it hurts for me. How much it hurt to see moms in the neighborhood play with their kids. How much to see moms and daughters do days together. How much it hurt at my first school dance to not have mom there to pick out my dress. How much it will hurt to not have mom be there when I pick out my dress or see me have babies. And you wondered why me and Iris clung to each other so much well, it’s because we both know how hard it is to be a girl and not have your mom there.”

She sighed. “If you want my help, then I’ll help. If not then I’ll give myself a spa day at home and relax. God knows I could use the rejuvenation.”

“What do you mean?”

Barry exhaled. “Water helps heal her. It’s one of her many healing powers she has. Fire can also heal her.”

Joe smiled. “That’s kinda cool.”

“It is cool,” she said. “I can do other things. Like actually sneak attack from inside the ground.”

“What?”

She nodded. “New one I figured out when the Reverse Flash slammed me into the ground. I’m calling it burrowing. I can come out too and sneak attack whomever.” She exhaled. “Dad, I’d like to help. I know, I’m not Barry, but I’m on this team too. And I don’t know if you two know this but being a part of a team is using every available player you can. So, if Barry sees this asshole as more of a priority than Snart, then use me and let’s take on this jackass ourselves.”

“All right,” Joe said, smiling. “We could do this.”

*****************

The next day at the precinct, Cisco and Doctor Wells, were showing the officers the shields they had invented to help against Captain Cold. Grace was there for moral support.

“If I could have everybody's attention, please.”

Grace fought a snicker.

“You have our attention, Mr. Ramon. Okay, check it. So Dr. Wells and I, we took your ballistic shields and... and we lined them with a pretty sweet compacted heating ribbon designed to repel temperature at especially those reaching absolute zero, like Captain Cold's gun.” 

“And that's supposed to keep us from getting turned into popsicles?”

“Um, yeah.” 

Grace looked at the man across from her and said, “Don’t be an asshole.”

“They will.” 

“How are we supposed to trust anything from S.T.A.R. Labs after you nuked the city?”

Cisco looked at Grace and she nodded in encouragement. “You're right. You're right, you shouldn't trust us. What happened a year ago... that was our fault. And we can't change the past, as much as we wish we could. But tomorrow is a different story. Tomorrow's a different thing. We just want the chance to make things better. Observe.”

He fired the gun at the shield that was protecting the dummy.

“Dummies are one thing. My officers are another.”

Grace smiled. “Don’t mind him, Baby. He’s moody. His husband has him on a diet.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

He put an arm around her waist as he pointed the gun to the floor. He returned the kiss. “Don’t ever do that.”

“What put you on a diet?”

He nodded. She smiled and said, “Babe, the only time I’d ever put you on a diet is if you suddenly gained four-hundred pounds and it effected two things: Your health and our sex life.”

He laughed. “Thanks for being here.”

“Told you I would.” She kissed him. “I’ll see you at the lab. There’s something I want to tell everyone.”

He nodded. “Okay. Love you.”

“I love you.” She watched Cisco leave and then turned and almost bumped into the cocky officer that made the first comment. “Holy….” She stepped back. “Mike, what the hell?”

“So, is that why you’ve turned me down for the past year? Because you’re dating that loser?”

“Well, first, Cisco Ramon isn’t a loser and secondly, no. If you must know I stopped dating tough guys a long time ago, Officer. Now if you’ll excuse--” she found herself being spun around.

And instead of reacting like a woman she reacted like Joe taught her and turned it back on him and put his arm behind his back. “Now, get this through your mind you arrogant jackass, when I said no the first thousand times you asked I meant it. And you insult me or my boyfriend again and you’ll wish that the burning session in your arm is the only thing you’ll get. Understand me?”

“Yeah,” he snapped out.

“Good.” She pushed him. “Now go find something productive to do.” She walked over to her dad and put her head on his arm.

Joe kissed her head and then moved around to facing Wells. “You know what makes Barry so special?”

Wells didn’t answer.

“He wants to help everyone he can, however he can. Always has. Until now.”

“I guess it's just a question of priorities then.”

“But who’s, Doctor?” Grace asked him.

Wells ignored her.

“I do believe my daughter asked you a question. You know, Barry said the exact same thing to me. And I thought, “doesn't sound like him.” I guess because it sounds like you.”

*********************

Later that afternoon, Grace showed up to the Lab with everyone waiting for her. She looked at everyone and said, “I’m very much aware of the fact that neither of you actually believe I can take on these meta-humans the way my brother can. However, since Dr. Wells has pretty much decided that the fight against the man in Yellow isn’t my fight then you know what I’ll make something else my fight.”

She cleared her throat. “I’m going to take over Barry’s job. That way he can focus on just getting faster--since that seems to be everyone’s top priority. So, you can either help me and help Barry, or you can just help Barry. It doesn’t matter to me,” she told them. “However, unlike someone in this room, this town matters to me not just one person in it. And since our father’s advice never got through that stubborn head of his, I’ll say this, as of this moment I’m no longer letting the man in yellow control my entire life.”

* * *

 

Captain Cold showed up to the hangar where The Rathaways landed their private jet and fired his cold gun into the air to bring on the police. As predicted the police showed up, but so did Gaia. Cold fired his gun at the police and Eddie and Joe raised their shields. Gaia landed and stood in front of the cold ray.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the Flash’s sidekick.”

She glared at him. She raised her hands and shot out a orangish-red beam. It hit Snart. “I’m not his sidekick.”

Snart brought out Mick, his partner and he started firing some kind of heat gun. Grace held up her hands and the cold beam bounced off of something invisible and then she took a deep breath and blew out hard. Mick’s fire started to disappear. He growled and turned the gun on her. She let the heat be absorbed into her body and then pushed it back out through her hands.

Joe shot at Mick’s gun, putting out of commission. She wanted to go after Mick and Snart, but she knew she had to stay there to keep them safe. She looked around and saw the fire hydrant. She looked at Joe and Eddie. “Keep them back.”

She walked to the hydrant and pulled the cover off of it. She then directed the water with her hands and put out the fire that Mick created. She sighed. When the fire went out, the officers clapped for her. She smiled.

********************

Barry walked into the precinct to see chaos. He looked around for Joe and found both him and Grace. Joe looked a little worn for wear. “Hey. Hey, are you okay?”

“I'll call you back. I'm fine. Snart's new partner, he's got this handheld flamethrower. Almost everyone was treated on the scene, but...we got two in the burn unit, though.”

“I'm sorry. I should've listened to you.” He looked at Grace. “To both of you.”

“It's all good. Grace was amazing out there, Barry. Stop treating her as just your kid sister. She’s a big girl now. As proven, she went up against Captain Cold and this other guy….whatever his name is. But...the next time Snart and his pyro pal show up, you, both of you make them sorry they ever messed with you.”

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Caitlin gets kidnapped to draw out the Flash and Gaia. Captain Cold leaves a message for the duo. “Greetings, citizens of Central City. I am Leonard Snart. But you can call me Cold. I'm gonna make this very simple for everyone. That red streak you've been hearing whispers about, along with his sister, the ones that mysteriously have been saving people these past few months? Well, surprise, they are real. He calls himself the Flash and she calls herself Gaia. Porter and main, tonight, sundown. Come out, come out, wherever you are, Flash. Show the whole world you're real. Or this woman dies.”

“No, don’t come for me. Stay away!”

* * *

 

Grace walked into the Lab and looked at her brother. He turned to her. “We need a plan to get Caitlin back.”

“Why come to me? You’re the Flash.”

He exhaled. Okay, first thing first. “Look, Gracie, I’m sorry. You were right. The fight with the man in the Yellow Suit is your fight too. Mom and dad would have wanted it that way.” He sighed and put her face in his hands. “You’re my little sister. I’ve protected you my entire life. You can’t expect me to just stop.”

“I don’t, but Barry, you wanted me on this team, so you have to let me be your team mate and not just your sister.”

He nodded. “Agreed. So how do we get Caitlin?”

She exhaled. “Well, I have a plan, but you’re not going to like it.”

“Tell me what it is.”

She looked at her brother. “Okay….”

* * *

 

At about sundown, Grace and Barry both got a call from Joe. “Hey.”

“Okay, you're on. Good luck, you two.”

“Thanks,” Grace said.

“Barry, Grace, after tonight, everyone's gonna know that the Flash and Gaia exists. Are you ready for that?”

The siblings looked at each other. They had a silent conversation, but didn’t answer. “We don’t really have a choice, dad,” Grace told him. “Caitlin’s family.”

They both raced downtown, Grace tapped her earpiece. “You with me, Big Brother?”

“I’m here, Kiddo.”

“Now, you got the plan, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t like it and you know Cisco’s not going--”

“What plan?” Cisco asked, cutting into their conversation.

“Look, you two, it’s not going to matter if either of you like the plan, as long as Caitlin’s safe in the end.”

Cisco sighed. “Grace.”

“Yes?”

“Whatever happens, always know, I love you.”

She smiled. “I love you too. See you soon, Baby.”

They got downtown and Flash sped past the officers and Grace landed beside him. “The Scarlet speedster and his sister.”

They both turned to him.

“Any preference on how you'd like to die? The flame or the frost?”

Neither of htem spoke to him.

“Not in the mood for chitchat. Gotcha. Ready when you are.” They fired up their guns.

Barry and Grace looked at each other. They silently spoke to each other again and then looked at Cold and Heatwave. As Barry ran, Grace threw cold elements at Heatwave and then fireballs at Cold. Heatwave then fired his gun at her and from everyone else’s view it engulfed her in flames. While Cold hit Flash.

At that moment is when Iris showed up. “Oh, God…” she gasped as she watched Gaia being engulfed in flames. “Is she…”

Grace walked out of the fire, without a mark. She shook her dark hair out and looked at the man. In her ear she heard, “Gaia, go find Joe and Cisco.”

“Got it.” She put her hands up, balled them into fists and pushed off the ground, jet-propelling herself upwards into the sky. She then flew at jet speeds. “Be careful. Don’t get dead.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Where’s she going?”

“To save the S.T.A.R. Labs scientist that was kidnapped probably.”

* * *

 

Grace found the warehouse and landed between Joe and Cisco. She looked at her dad. “You know the plan right?”

He nodded. “However, I’m not liking it.”

“What’s the plan?”

“She’s gonna stop the bomb after we’re clear.”

“How?”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.”

Cisco grabbed her hand and kissed her passionately. “Just in case.”

She laughed. “Hopefully when this is done you’ll realize I pretty much know what I’m doing.”

They walked inside. Joe looked at Cisco, “Stay behind me.”

“Stay behind me,” she told her dad. She tuned into the air part of her powers and listened for any sign of a bomb.

Cisco sees Caitlin and she’s mufflingly trying to tell them to stay back. Cisco rushes up the stairs, trips the wire. Joe and Grace push past him, and Joe grabs Caitlin and Grace blocks the blast from hurting anyone.

She groaned. “Ouch,” she moaned. “That actually hurt.”

Joe looked at her. “Princess, you okay?”

She looked down at her mid-section and saw the soot mark. “I think so.” She stiffened and listened. “I gotta go. Barry’s in trouble.”

She got back to downtown and landed next to her brother who looked like he was about to fall over. “You okay?”

“I will be.” He smiled. “Ready to play?”

She smiled. “Let’s do this.”

She took his hand and they walked together and then he sped up a little and the fire and the ice hit them both. They cried out in pain, but kept going. Grace watched as the 2 elements began to cross. She looked at her brother. “Trust me?”

“More than anything.”

A few more seconds and then she held his hand tight and jet-propelled their way out of the stream. She landed away from them and Heatwave and Captain Cold’s guns couldn’t get out of lockdown to go after them so as predicted they cancelled each other out, blasting them both across the street, on opposite sides. Grace sighed. “Flash, go get Cisco’s gun back.”

He nodded. He got the gun away from Snart. He and Gaia left and she landed inside S.T.A.R. Labs and collapsed. Barry rushed to her. “Grace!”

Cisco looked at Barry. “Get her to the hydrotank!”

“The what?”

“The hydrotank,” Cisco said. “I installed it when we discovered that water heals her. Get her inside.”

Barry got her inside and then Cisco activated the tank and it scanned all of her internal functions. Her boyfriend sighed. “Damn, Baby.”

“What?”

“She has internal bleeding, a couple of broken ribs and a punctured lung.”

“What?”

“It should have killed her,” he said.

“I think we should test her and see why it didn’t,” Wells said. “Besides her stubbornness. Ten to one says she can rapildly heal like Barry.

* * *

 

The next morning, Grace was back at 100%. Everything was healed and looked great. As Wells predicted, she has regenerative healing powers like Barry thanks to all the elements she can use. She got to Joe’s place to help Iris pack up the moving truck. “Okay, all right,” Eddie muttered as he walked down the stairs backwards.

“I think that's it.”

“This better be it.”

“Well, like you said, you're ten minutes away, so if you forget something…”

“Okay.” Iris noticed the emotion in his face. She laughed softly. “Dad.”

“He was the same way when I moved out.”

“I can't say it enough. I'll miss you.”

“You know you can come around anytime, Joe,” Eddie said, coming to Iris. “Just give us a heads-up. Or not. Come around whenever. You want a key?”

Grace laughed. “Eddie, man, quit while he isn’t going to kill you.” She walked to her brother and bumped him with her shoulder. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Eddie looked at them and then said, “I'm gonna go. I'll wait...in the truck.”

The tension in the room rose and Joe and Grace excused themselves. “Why don't we give you two a minute?”

Barry looked at Iris. “Well... Look, I know things have been really weird between us recently.”

“Yeah, they have.”

“Well, did you know that I can see into the future?” Barry teased.

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Did I forget to tell you that?”

“You did not mention it, no.”

“Wow.”

“So what do you see?”

“I see you and Eddie being really happy together. And things aren't weird between us anymore. It took a little time, but everything's back to normal, and we're still best friends.”

“The future doesn't sound so bad.”

“No. And it'll be here faster than you think.”

Joe and Grace walked back into the room. Joe turns the TV on and the sportscaster is talking about a rcent game. Iris sees the picture of her and Barry and picks it up. “Dad, is it okay if I…”

He looked and said, “Yeah, go ahead.”

She gives him a hug, then goes to Grace. She hugged her. Grace smiled. “Doesn’t matter where you live, Iris. You’re still my sister.”

She smiled and said, “And you’re mine. I’ll call you.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Iris and Barry said their goodbyes. Then, Grace turned to Barry and Joe and said, “Gotta go. I’m meeting Cisco for breakfast.” She kissed both of their cheeks. “Love you guys.”

“Love you, Princess.”

“Love you, Kiddo,” Barry said in unison.

Barry and Joe decided as they sat on the couch together that Barry would move back in and soon it was back to normal for them again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last time Grace has an angsty moment, promise.


	20. The Sound and the Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blast from the Scientists' past comes back for revenge.
> 
> Cisco and Grace have their first fight and Grace figures out that her past history with guys may have affected her more than she thought. 
> 
> And Iris has her first day at CCPN and it doesn't go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! I hope you enjoy!

Grace looked at the lay out that her assistant had placed. She smiled. “Great job, Audrey, but uh, switch Kari’s story photo with Mason’s and you should have the right placement.”

“Are you sure? Mason wanted it that way.”

“Well, first of all, Mason Bridge shouldn’t be telling you shit about how to do your job and secondly, unless I give you the instructions don’t listen to anyone else.”

The woman nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Grace looked up when an older man walked in. “Eric. Hey.”

Eric wore glasses, had graying white hair and wore professor professional sweaters most of the time. He smiled at Grace. “Hello, Grace. Hi, Audrey.”

“Mr. Larkin,” Audrey said before she slipped out.

Eric looked at his young director. “I wanted to speak to you about an…” he glanced at the post-it he wrote the name on. “Iris West.”

She nodded and leaned back in her chair. “Yes, Sir.”

“Now, when we talked before um….you said she was your sister, however, I’m wondering how that could be when she looks like this,” he said. “Now, I’m not trying to discount the possibility, but uh…how?”

Grace laughed. “She’s actually my brother’s best friend and my foster sister. Her dad’s the guy who took us in when…”

He nodded. “Ahh…got it. So, I called your dad’s place a few days ago, but she hasn’t gotten back to me.”

She smiled. “Well, I’ll be going to dad’s after work for dinner so if you want I can see why Iris hasn’t called.”

He smiled. “That’d be great. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she said.

* * *

 

Grace walked into S.T.A.R. Labs as the trio was giving Barry instructions in the field. Wells was giving him instructions on how to get members of the Royal Flush gang.” She walked up behind Cisco and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She kissed his cheek and rubbed his chest affectionately.

Cisco kissed her arm and then tilted his head up to get her lips. She obliged him. “Hey. How was work?”

“Good. Iris is about to get good news,” she said sitting on the edge of the desk where he sat. Barry came in moments later and Grace hugged him. “Great job, Big Brother.”

He hugged her. “Did you get caught up?”

“I did,” she said. “Thanks for understanding.”

“You’re very welcome,” he said. “I missed you out there though. We could’ve done it a lot cooler.”

She laughed and kissed his cheek as Cisco greeted him. He got congratulations from everyone. They even took a picture together. He turned to Grace. “Going to dinner at Joe’s?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I need to ask Iris something anyway.” She kissed Cisco. “You sure you don’t wanna come?”

He shook his head. “No. My mom asked for dinner so, we’re getting together for dinner.” He kissed her again. “Will I see you later?”

She nodded. “Mine or yours?”

“Mine,” he said.

She nodded in agreement. “I will definitely be there.” They said goodbye to everyone and then left.

* * *

 

Barry and Grace walked into the West house and saw Iris was there packing up a box. She pulled her coat off. She hung it up while her brother threw his on the couch. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You do realize the whole point of moving out is not being at home anymore, right?” Barry teased.

“Ha-ha-ha. I forgot a few things.”

“As dad predicted you would,” Grace added slipping her coat off.

Iris looked at her sister and shook her head. The girl was wearing a black dress with a brown blazer over and her legs looked amazing. “Seriously, I wish I had your legs.”

Grace groaned and rolled her eyes. “I’m not doing this again,” she said. “Bar, do something.”

Barry laughed softly. “Iris, your legs are fan--I mean, fine.”

She looked up at Barry. “So... how is it living back at the house?” Before he could answer, Joe called out to him.

“Hey, Bar?”

“Yo,”

“Babe... spaghetti a la me. You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?” Joe asked.

“Thanks, but Eddie is painting all day and I swore that I would help. Although, I'm really just going to do that thing where I get a little paint on my hair and on my nose.”

They laughed. “I never understood your aversion to painting.”

“Oh, Gracie, it’s not an aversion. She just refuses to do anything that’ll get her dirty,” Barry told her before Iris slapped at him.

 

“Oh, right. Almost forgot about that,” Grace teased.

“Oh, hey,” Joe said looking at Iris. “someone from Central City Picture News called you the other day, I left the number on the fridge.”

“What? Why didn't you tell me?”

“Chill! Just did.”

She rushed into the kitchen and called them back quickly. Grace looked at her guys and said, “Well, that explains why she hasn’t called Eric back.”

“Who’s Eric?” Joe asked.

“The Editor of the paper. Ultimately, my boss.”

He nodded. “Right.” He looked at Barry, smiling proudly. “Hey, I heard that some members of the Royal Flush Gang are headed to prison.”

Iris screamed happily. “Is that a good scream or a bad scream?”

“Good! So good!” Iris exclaimed as she walked out into the dining room. “I just got offered a job as a reporter at Central City Picture News.”

“That's awesome!” Barry said excitedly, happy for her.

“The editor's a fan of my blog!”

“That is amazing.”

“Oh, my God!” Iris exclaimed.

“Oh, God,” Joe said as he sipped his wine.

Iris hugged Grace. “Did you…?”

Grace shook her head. “Not really, no.” She looked at her. “Eric had asked me if I knew any good reporters and I mentioned you. He took it from there.”

* * *

 

Later that night, as Grace rubbed lotion on her arms, as she peeked out of the bathroom. She realized he was too engrossed in that article to even realize she’d been talking to him. She sighed. __And it starts.__ She climbed into bed and sat next to Cisco who was reading a magazine article about a new invention coming out. “Babe.”

“Uh-huh,” he said distractedly as he continued reading.

“Cisco.”

Still a distracted utterance of his reassurance that he was listening when she knew he wasn’t. She sighed. She turned and picked up her phone. She began going through her calendar on it. Cisco looked up from the magazine and looked at his girlfriend. “Baby?”

“Uh-huh,” she said back as her thumb flicked across the screen.

“What did you want to tell me?”

“I already did,” she said as she confirmed a photoshoot that was supposed to happen tomorrow. She adjusted the blanket.

“You did?”

Closing her eyes, she drew in a slow calming breath. “Yes, I did, but apparently that article was a lot more important than what I was saying.”

“Grace, I--”

“I’m tired,” she announced. She flicked off the light and laid down, putting her back to him.

“Seriously? You’re going to ignore me?” he asked a little frustrated.

“Why not? You did me,” she said keeping her back to him.

“Grace, come on!”

“Five minutes, Cisco!” she said sitting up quickly. “Five minutes!”

“Huh?”

“I was trying to have a serious conversation with you about something I thought you were hinting at, but I wasn’t even five minutes in when I asked you a question and didn’t get an answer.” She sighed deeply, sadly. “I mean, jeez, if it was serious enough to hint at it then how come it wasn’t serious enough to listen to what I had to say about it?”

“About what?” he asked a little confused about what she was talking about. They talked about everything. So, sometimes it was hard to keep up.

Her heart sank. Shock fused with hurt as she stared at him for a moment. She exhaled. “Never mind. Obviously, I misread something.”

He watched her fix the blanket again and looked at her. “Misread what?”

 _ _You’re boring.__ She inwardly froze. She hadn’t thought about him in over a year and here were his words smashing into her world now? __I hate to break your heart, honey, but you’ll never be able to keep a man’s attention for longer than a few months. Your mind can’t hold him. And your body sure the hell won’t.__ “Nothing,” she said, the tears choking her voice.

He froze when he realized that she was crying. His heart sank too, but for a different reason than Gracie’s. “Baby, talk to me. What do you think you misread?”

She pushed the covers back and then looked at him, this time the tears streaming down her face. “I thought you wanted to move in together,” she said, as she got up, picked up her phone and went into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, locking it. She opened her texting app and texted her brother: ****I think my curse is rearing its ugly head again.****

****[From Barry]: Your curse? What do you mean?** **

****[To Barry]: When I got home from dad’s Cisco was home. While we were watching a movie he kept saying things like he wanted to ask me to move in. So, tonight when we were getting ready for bed, I was telling him what I thought. Trying to let him know that I heard his hints and I thought it was a great idea.** **

****[From Barry]: Okay. So, what happened?** **

****[To Barry]: I wasn’t even 5 minutes in, B and he was reading an article he said he wanted to read in bed. I called to him twice and the second time he gave me the distracted ‘I’m listening’ response of ‘uh-huh’.** **

****[To Barry]: What if Josh was right? What if I’ll never be able to have a real relationship?** **

****[From Barry]: Josh? You haven’t mentioned him in almost a year, except briefly at Christmas. What brought him on?** **

****[To Barry]: Memories. Josh started ignoring me too about 4 months in. What if he’s right? What if I’m boring? What if my brain won’t be able to hold him, Barry?** **

****[To Barry]: This isn’t a teenage infatuation or a college crush. I honestly believe that this is the real deal, Barry. I want him to be my forever.** **

****[From Barry]: I know, Kiddo. And you’re not boring.** **

****[To Barry]: *sigh* You have to say that, you’re my brother. I know this probably isn’t a subject you want to be on, but I know I can’t hold him sexually.** **

****[From Barry]: You’re right, it’s not, but I’ll go with you. Why not?** **

****[To Barry]: Because I suck in bed, Bar. They’ve all told me. I…I don’t want to be the old unmarried Spinster Aunt, B while you and Iris have babies. Part of me thinks I should end it now before he breaks my heart. And it would, Barry. Badly. Worse than the other break ups. I…** **

 

“Gracie, are you coming to bed?”

She quickly wiped her tears and said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Yeah, I’ll-I’ll-I’ll be right there.”

****[From Barry]: I know it would, Gracie. I can honestly say I’ve never seen you like you are with Cisco. And I love seeing you so happy. But, Kiddo, don’t do anything too rash. Go to bed, get some sleep and if you feel the same way then talk to Cisco. And see if that’s what he was hinting at. If not then you misread it and it’ll be awkward, but I think you could work through it. Don’t do anything you’ll regret.** **

****[To Barry]: Promise. I’m going to bed.** **

****[From Barry]: Okay. Sleep well. I love you.** **

****[To Barry]: I’ll try. Love you too.** **

 

* * *

 

__RING-RING! RING-RING! RING-RING!_ _

Grace groaned as she rolled over and rolled into Cisco’s sleeping form.”Babe.”

He groaned. She shook him harder. “Baby.”

“What?” he said jerking awake.

“Your phone is ringing,” she said curling into the blankets.

He groaned and padded around for the phone. He found it and answered, Yeah?”

Grace watched him as he tensed and then said, “What?” She then seen him sit up and say, “I’ll be right there.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Someone broke into Dr. Wells’ place,” he said as he quickly got dressed.

She remembered reading somewhere that the best way to get an honest answer from your man was to catch him off guard so…. “Cisco, do I bore you?”

He stopped as he was buttoning and zipping his pants. “What?”

“Do I bore you? I mean, are you satisfied with the way things are?”

He had a feeling he knew what this was about. He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the bed. “You don’t bore me, Baby. Anything but.”

“So, I’m still…keeping you?”

“Keeping me what, Baby?”

“Interested. Because I’ll be honest with you last night, I had a flashback of being with Josh and he always told me I was boring and that I would never be able to hold any man’s attention for longer than four months and we’ve been dating for about that, then last night happened.”

Cisco smiled and took her mouth slowly. “I’m still interested. Very much so. There’s nothing in this world that would ever make me uninterested.” He cocked his head curiously. “Do you know why I’m interested in that article so badly?”

She shook her head. He leaned across the bed and picked it up. “Look at the author.”

She looked down at the name of the person who wrote it. __Joshua Manning__. She then looked up at him perplexed. She looked down at the title of the article _ _: The Mechanics of Aerodynamics.__ She laughed. “He can’t be serious!”

“Yeah. I wanted to see if he was maybe smarter than me, but my original assessment of the guy still stands: He’s a douchebag.”

She laughed and kissed him. “Trust me, baby, you’re smarter and a lot sexier than he is. He doesn’t even know the mechanics of his own car let alone the simplicity behind aerodynamics.”

He moaned and kissed her. “If Caitlin hadn’t called about Wells I’d make love to you right now.”

She smiled, kissed him and then looked up at him. “Go.”

He stood, put his shoes on and headed for the door. He stopped. “Gracie.”

“Yeah, Baby?”

“I love you.”

“I love you,” she said passionately.

He walked out and then came back in. “Hey, do you think while you’re at work you can find a new apartment?”

“Um…probably, but why am I….?”

He smiled. “So we can live in it together.”

Her mouth gaped open for a long few seconds and then she squealed happily, jumping out of bed. She launched herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. She kissed him so passionately it literally stole his breath. “I love you,” she panted.

“I love you too. We’ll talk later. See if you can find a two bedroom, okay?”

“Why a two bedroom?”

“You need a dark room,” he said as he let her slide down him.

She kissed him again and this time let him go. She waited until she heard the door close and then she fell back on the bed happily. She picked up her phone and texted her brother: ****Ignore everything I said last night. We made up. That article wasn’t like real important. Josh wrote it and Cisco was comparing his intelligence with Josh’s by reading it. And….we’re moving in together! Call you later. Love you. XOXO****

* * *

 

Grace got the text message to meet everyone at the Lab as she was heading to work. So she quickly shot a text to Audrey telling her she was going to be late and then headed in the direction of the Lab. She got there and looked at everyone. “What’s up?” She looked at Doctor Wells. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Thank you, Miss Allen.”

“What’s going on?”

“Well, Harrison believes he knows who broke into his place,” Barry told her.

“Who?”

“Hartley Rathaway,” Cisco said bitterly.

“Hartley Rathaway possesses one of the finest scientific minds I've ever encountered.”

“Any ties to Rathaway Industries?” Joe asked.

“His grandfather founded the company, his father expanded it, and Hartley here was set to inherit the throne.”

“What happened?”

“He came out to his parents. Old money, old values.”

“They were estranged when we met, but, brilliant. I couldn't have built the particle accelerator without him.”

“You guys have never even mentioned his name,” Barry said.

“That's because Hartley had a challenging personality,” Caitlin said.

“What she means is he was mostly a jerk. But, every once in a while, he could be a dick,” Cisco said, wrapping an arm around Grace’s waist.

Joe laughed.

“Let's just say that Hartley, like many outliers, had trouble relating to his peers.”

“Yes, but he was always your favorite,” Caitlin reminded him.

“The chosen one,” Cisco said bitterly. He saw the lookin Harrison’s eyes and explained, “He referred to himself like that.”

Grace smiled and kissed his cheek.

“So if you two were so close, why would he target you?” Joe asked the obvious question.

“Hartley left S.T.A.R. Labs about a year ago after we had a... a disagreement.”

“About what?” Joe asked.

“Look, don't worry. We'll stop him. I won't let him hurt you, any of you. Let's get back to my lab, all right?” He turned to Grace. “Come with me?”

She nodded. “Right behind you. Just give me a minute.”

Cisco looked at Hartley’s picture as he said, “I could've gone my whole life without seeing that jerk again.”

She took his hand and turned him to face her. “Baby, look at me, please.”

He looked into her blue eyes. She took his face and said, “I love you. I know this is going to be hard and if you want to talk about this jerk then I’m so there, but first and foremost remember I love you and you have the one thing that Hartley Rathaway doesn’t.”

“What’s that?”

She dropped her voice to a whisper, “Someone who loves you for you and nothing else.”

He kissed her. “Go. Go meet up with your brother. I’ll see you at lunch.”

She nodded. She walked out of the lab and caught up to Joe and Barry at the lab.

* * *

 

Grace rushed into the offices where CCPN were and rushed to the long table that sat in the far back. She noticed Eric was taking his seat, impressed with Mason making an appearance. She saw Iris and stopped. She hugged her. “Hey, Sis.”

Iris looked up. “Hey! Love the skirt!” she said and squeezed her fingers.

Mason looked across the table to Grace. “So, is ‘Sis’ just something you guys say?”

Iris shook her head while Grace answered, “We grew up together, Mason. She’s my brother’s best friend.”

“Not to mention we grew up across the hall from each other.”

She laughed. “There is that.” She looked up at Eric. “So sorry. I was trying to not be late.”

Eric laughed. “Grace, you’re never late.”

“She’s late when she meets me.”

“Well, if I actually found any of your concerns to be valid I might actually show up on time, Mason.”

Eric looked at everyone at the table. “Everyone, welcome Iris West, our new cub.”

Iris greeted everyone with a simple hi.

“Anyone want to volunteer to be her mama bear?” When he didn’t get any volunteers he looked at Mason. “Mason, you picked a bad day to actually show up.”

“I don't nanny,” Mason protested.

“I lost the ability to make a joke back in '05. Today, you do. Deadlines. All new stories are due on my desk at the end of the day.”

“Oh, actually, I had an idea for a piece. There's this program in Keystone that helps battered women get back on their feet.”

“Ah, that sounds really great, West. Actually, any thoughts on a piece about The Flash, something you haven't written about yet, something new?”

Grace instantly knew what this was about. It wasn’t actually about hiring a new reporter at all. He just wanted to be the first one to have a story on the Flash.

“Um, no. Not currently.”

“Nothing on that sister of his?”

“No. Not right now.”

“All right. Sally forth, everyone. Sally forth.”

Grace stood from the table and stopped Iris. “Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t volunteer. We can’t ‘Mama Bear’ family. However, since you got stuck with the Ogre, if you need anything at all just let me know.” She pointed to a closed door. “My office is right there.” She hugged her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I gotta meet dad and Barry.”

Iris laughed. “Okay. Thanks Grace. I appreciate this.”

“You’re welcome,” she said.

* * *

 

Grace walked into Barry’s lab and smiled at both guys. She looked at his setup. “Ooh. A demonstration.” She looked at her brother. “Please, Professor.”

Barry laughed. “Yeah, wouldn’t happen.”

“You’d be cute wearing tweed that had the patches on the elbows.”

He laughed. “Shut up.” He looked at Joe. “Everything has a natural frequency.” He tinged the glass in front of him. “And since sound is expressed as a vibration, if the pitch of the sound matches the natural vibration frequency of an object, then…” he walked over to a machine that emitted a high pitched frequency when he turned it up. The glass shattered and they all laughed.

“So, you're saying that can happen to anything, Not just glass?”

“Oh, yeah. I think that's absolutely what happened to the windows at Wells' house. He's using some kind of sonic technology.”

“I'm getting this feeling that Wells is hiding something...about what's going on with this Rathaway character.”

“Don’t touch that!” Barry said as Joe attempted to touch a device in front of him.

“Yeah, I’ve been getting that feeling too, but not just about Rathaway. I mean, by the sounds of it I probably would have hated the guy.”

“I mean, it sounds like this Hartley guy was a pill before he went all super villain, so I...I get why he never mentioned him.”

“Like he never mentions his girlfriend that got killed.”

“No,” Barry said, shocked. “How do you know about her?”

“He's taking up a big part of our lives. I wanted to know more about him.”

Barry seemed offended. “I mean, if you want to know more about him, you could just ask me.”

“Sounds like you don't know him as well as you think.”

“Well, you could have asked Grace. She’s known him longer.

“He did and actually I don’t. Wells doesn’t talk about personal stuff even when you ask. Never has. I’ve tried, Caitlin’s tried and so has Cisco. He just won’t budge.”

“Joe. Multiple 911 calls,” Eddie said, coming into the lab. “Rathaway Industries is under attack. Sector cars are en route.”

Both Barry and Grace’s phone begin buzzing. Barry answered when Grace did. “Hey. Barry, it's Caitlin.”

“I think I know why you're calling.”

They both quickly dressed. She flew out his window and he took off. They got to Rathaway and noticed that some guy was using sonic waves of sound to cause destruction. Barry looked up as she landed. “As part of your elements you have sound, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

He nodded. “Good. You take the lead. I’ll follow you.”

“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do….”

 

“Get down on the ground!” An officer said through a bullhorn.

Rathaway didn’t listen and blasted him too. Barry sped up to him and knocked him over. “It's over, Rathaway.”

Rathaway looked up at him. “You know my name. I know some names too. Caitlin Snow. Cisco Ramon. Harrison Wells. I can hear the radio waves emanating from your suit. About 1900 megahertz. Is that them on the other end, listening? Are they gonna hear you die?”

“No. They're going to hear you get your ass kicked,” Barry told him confidently.

“Okay.” He blasted him and knocked Barry into a glass structure.

Grace then flew in feet first and kicked him in the back. He fell and slid across the ground. She landed on the ground. “He didn’t say he was going to be the one to kick your ass.”

He turned and looked her up and down. He chuckled. “You’re too pretty to be doing this.”

“And you’re an arrogant jackass, but we’ve all got our problems.”

He attempted to blast her but he stopped when he realized that no sound was happening. “What are you doing?”

She walked to him, keeping one hand at her side. “Taking away your greatest power which then only makes you a shitty ass scientist.”

He attempted to blast her with sound again, but it didn’t work. She then walked up to him and punched him in the face. He fell to the ground and screamed in pain. She looked over her shoulder. “Flash.”

“Gladly, Gaia.” He snapped cuffs on him. “Looks like you're not as smart as everyone says.”

“Smart enough to have figured out who Harrison Wells really is. You see, I know his secret.”

Gaia looked at him. “Everyone’s got secrets, Stupid. At least I didn’t get my ass kicked by a girl.”

* * *

 

They took him back to S.T.A.R. Labs and as they stepped out of the elevator Hartley said, “Being scooped up by a guy clad in head-to-toe leather is a long-time fantasy of mine, so thanks.”

Grace scoffed. “Glad we could help.”

They walked into the main part of the building and Hartley seen everyone. “Well, well, well, the gang's all here. You've lasted a lot longer than I would've thought, Cisco.”

“And you didn't last ten seconds against my girlfriend.”

Hartley laughed. “Your girlfriend? Right.” He looked at him and then at Grace, then back at Cisco. “Not even you have that good of luck, Cisco.”

Grace slapped him upside the head. “Stop being an asshole.”

He rubbed his head and then looked at Cisco. “I was thinking of calling myself Pied Piper.”

“Hey! I assign the nicknames around here. Although that one's not bad.”

“Caitlin...never did get that wedding invite.”

Grace slapped him again while Barry said, “Shut the hell up!”

Cisco pushed at him. “Stay in front of me.”

“The scanner is detecting foreign metallic objects in your ears. Take 'em out.”

“I can't. I suffered head trauma when S.T.A.R. Labs exploded. My hearing was severely damaged. Without these, I'm in pain you can't imagine.” He seen Caitlin and Grace walking in. Grace was still dressed as Gaia. “We all lost something that night. Ha. Very clever re-purposing the anti-proton cavities into confinement cells. Wells' idea, I'm sure.”

“It was mine, actually.”

Hartley and Cisco exchanged jabs in Spanish. Caitlin looked at the guy. “Hartley, don't make this more difficult than it has to be.”

Grace glared at him. “Look, Hartley, either take them out or I’ll forcefully remove them.” She folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Your choice.”

He looked at Caitlin and said something in French to her.

“Enough, Hartley,” Wells said. “Give us a minute.”

“See you soon, Cisco.”

“Doubt it!”

Grace started walking off when she turned and called to Hartley.

“What?”

“Vy znayete, chto u vas mogut byt' vse den'gi v mire, No u Cisco yest' to, chego nikogda ne budet….druz'ya.”

Cisco turned and looked at Hartley who actually looked confused. He walked up to Grace. “Oh, Babe, I love you!”

She laughed and walked away with him.

* * *

 

They all waited for Harrison to return. He came wheeling into the lab and saw them all waiting for him. “I assume you were all listening. Well, Hartley was telling the truth. I have not been honest with you. With any of you. The accelerator...Hartley warned me that there was indeed a chance that the accelerator could explode.”

Barry looked at his friends and his sister. She looked like she was about to either cry or punch something.

“His data did not show 100% certainty, just that there was a risk, but it was a real risk. And yet I made the decision that the reward...that... everything we could learn and everything we could achieve, that all of that... simply outweighed that risk. I'm sorry.”

Caitlin slowly rose. “Then the next time you choose to put our lives, and the lives of the people that we love, at risk, I'll expect a heads up.” She walked away.

“You…you…knew!” Grace exclaimed. “You knew it could do what it did?! And you didn’t stop it!”

“Gracie--”

“No!” she yelled. “I almost died!” She charged toward the man in the wheelchair. “I almost died….” she sobbed. “My body was…was…literally shutting…down,” she said her words choked by her tears. “I was in… ** _ ** _so_**_** much…pain,” she said as tears streamed down her face, “I could hear the doctors telling dad that…that…there was nothing…nothing they could do….” She took a deep, shaky breath. “I could hear Iris sobbing and dad was actually thinking about telling the doctors to shut my machines off.” She looked at him and said as she wiped her tears. “And now you’re sitting there telling me that if you hadn’t listened to the arrogant scientist part of you I wouldn’t have gone through all that? Caitlin wouldn’t have lost Ronnie? And.and…and all those people wouldn’t have died or gone through what they did?”

“Yes,” he said softly, remorsefully.

“Well, I’m sorry but I don’t accept that.” She slapped her chest. “I don’t accept that because you not only destroyed your life, but Cisco and Caitlin’s too. They had promising futures until your hubris got ahead of you and ruined it all. I’m not entirely sure I will ever forgive you.” She walked off and Cisco followed her.

Barry closed his his eyes and then looked at Wells. “After the explosion, when everyone else left you...Caitlin and Cisco stood by you. You owe them more than an apology.”

“They might soon get more than that what with Hartley so intent on sending me to the next world.”

“What are...that wouldn't make it right with them.” He walked to him. “You broke their trust. Our trust.” He walked away.

* * *

 

Grace walked into Jitters and looked around for her brother and sister. She found them and headed for their table. As she came closer she heard Iris say, “He won the Pulitzer. Twice, I think.”

“Actually, I’ll give him once, but twice I’m still not convinced.” She hugged her and then kissed Barry’s cheek.

Barry laughed. “Oh. Good for him.”

Iris and Grace laughed. Iris looked at Barry. “Thanks, Barry. Having someone believe in me, it's, um... a small... really, really big thing.”

Grace smiled. “Of course, Iris. That’s what we do.”

Barry took Grace’s hand and squeezed. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Yep. But I want something sweet with chocolate.”

Iris knew her eating habits and knew Grace only ate chocolate when she was upset. “Ooh. You and Cisco still fighting?”

She shook her head. “Nope. We made up before he left for work this morning. Actually it’s something else.” She looked at Iris. “Don’t listen to Mason Bridge. I’m sorry, but winning a Pulitzer may win you recognition but allowing said recognition to go to your head doesn’t not prove anything except that you’re an asshole. And trust me, Mason Bridge is an asshole.”

Barry and Iris laughed. “Don’t hold back,” Iris said chuckling.

“Never will with you guys.”

As Iris went to get coffee for herself, Barry’s phone rang and he answered. It was wells and he told him that Hartley was loose in the facility. He hung up and looked at Grace. “Come on. We got trouble.”

She nodded and they both disappeared by the time that Iris had turned to come back to them. They got into the building to see Caitlin waking up and beginning to stand. They rushed to her.

 “Hey! Are you okay?” Barry asked as they helped her up.

“Yeah, uh, Cisco and Dr. Wells.”

“I’ll get Cisco. You go find Wells,” Grace told her brother. She took off for the jail and found him. She rushed to him. “Baby.”

He didn’t move. He was out cold. She pulled her phone out and dialed Barry. “B, I found him, but I’m gonna need your help. He’s out cold.”

“I’ll be right there.”

* * *

 

Cisco came to a while later and Grace smiled. “Hey, Handsome.”

He smiled and said groggily. “Still the best way to wake up.”

Barry laughed. “Welcome back, Mr. Ramon.”

“Ooh. Oh, man. Caitlin?” He immediately sat up.

“Hey. She's fine.”

Caitlin walked up. “You need to rest. You have a concussion. You're lucky.”

“Please tell me you got him.”

They shook their heads. “I guess the attack on his family's company was a fake out so we'd catch him.”

“And give him direct access to S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“Why?”

“Probably to prove his information correct,” Grace added.

“I should've known he was up to something. This is my fault,” Cisco said, beating himself up.

“Hey, man. This is on me, too. I shouldn't have left before…”

“This is no one's fault but mine. I earned the blame... I'm not interested in sharing it. Hartley doesn't think I've paid for my crimes. And he's right. He won't stop until I do.”

“Where are you going?”

“To earn back your trust,” Wells said.

* * *

 

Wells makes his Mea Culpa to the city and apologizes for what had happened. As they all sat inside the Lab waiting, Hartley tapped into their PA system and taunted Wells, Grace and Barry. “Nice gambit, Harrison. But this isn't over.”

“Hartley, what do you want? What do you want, Hartley? I already gave my mea culpa today.”

“The city already hated you. You don't think I noticed that press conference was a pathetic bishop sacrifice? No, no, no. I've played with you too many times to let you get away with that. This is between you, me, the Silencer--”

“My name’s not Silencer, asshole, it’s Gaia.”

“Oh,sorry, and The Flash.”

“You don't want to play for those kind of stakes with me, Hartley.”

“Actually, I really do. What do you say? One last game of chess?”

“You and I both know that the winner of the game is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake, and you clearly have a move in mind.”

“You're right. And I'm already at the board. So why don't you move your precious scarlet knight...and your Queen…while I take out a few pawns.”

He shot his hands up and the cars stopped, tires squealing.

 

Back at the lab, Barry and Grace were dressed. “All right. All right, Cisco, where do we go?” Barry asked.

“I can't trace the signal. He could be sending his messages from anywhere.”

An idea popped into Grace’s head. “I have an idea.” She looked at Barry. “Remember when we were kids and we would sneak attack…”

Barry smiled. “And what better way than burrowing under ground.”

She nodded. She looked at Cisco. “Baby, look for seismic activity. Maybe the vibrations from the sound is causing tremors.”

Harrison smiled. “Nice, Miss Allen. What’s the plan?”

“I’m going to use my abilities against him and sneak attack him while he’s distracted with Barry.”

“How?” Caitlin asked.

“I control all of Earth’s elements, he only controls one sub-element of earth.” She smirked. “It’s like bringing a water pistol to war with you. He has no chance.”

* * *

 

They got to the bridge and Hartley fired at them. While the duo fought Hartley, Cisco discovered what Hartley downloaded. “I figured out what Hartley stole from S.T.A.R. Labs, why he let himself get caught.”

“Which brings us to the “uh-oh.”

“He has all the data on Barry's molecular scans.”

“Why would he want that?” Caitlin asked.

“He can get Barry's frequency,” Wells answered. “Barry, you need to get out of there! You need to get out of there immediately!”

Cisco tapped the comm button for Grace’s earpiece. “Baby.”

“Yeah?”

“We have a problem. Hartley downloaded all of Barry molecular scans. Which means--”

“He can tap into Barry’s frequency,” she interjected. She got up to the bridge and saw her brother writhing in pain. She landed. “Hey, Jackass!”

“Ahh…the Queen.” He glared at her. “I gotta say--”

She lifted her hand and closed her fist and he went silent. She walked to him. “Now you listen to me you insufferable jackass. Leave my friends alone and get the hell out of my City or I promise you you’ll regret it.”

He attempted to hit her and she blocked it. She lifted her hand and a tremor began. She glared at him. “I can cause vibrations too. But you see while you only have one sub-element compared to me I can use the air around me and amplify that ringing you hear in your ears.” She said into her comm. “Doctor Wells, I know I said I didn’t trust you anymore, but I do. Just help--”

“I’m on it, Miss Allen. Just keep holding him off, Grace.”

“No problem.”

The frequency was much higher than what Hartley could stand and it ruined his entire plan. Grace went to Barry and helped him up as Hartley writhed on the ground.

* * *

 

They got Hartley put away in a cell and Grace went home, telling Cisco she’d see him at his place. Barry stopped off to talk to Joe and then headed home himself.

 

Meanwhile, inside his secret room, Wells using a spidery type of device to help raise his speed and make it stronger. “Gideon, for how much longer is the Tachyonic device viable?”

“Calculations inconclusive. I'm sorry, Doctor.”

“Oh, that's okay, Gideon. This was only meant to be a temporary fix. The real endgame is almost here,” he promised. He looked at his yellow flash suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. 
> 
> Please send your comments and kudos.
> 
> Vy znayete, chto u vas mogut byt' vse den'gi v mire, No u Cisco yest' to, chego nikogda ne budet….druz'ya means:  
> You know you may have all the money in the world, but Cisco has something you'll never have….friends.  
> (I got the translation from Google Translate.)


	21. Author's Apology

I know this is unconventional to leave an Author's Note/Apology, but I felt I needed to. I've apologized a lot for long breaks and whatever, but this time I am profusely sorry. I had a few negative comments that got into my confidence for this story and my Arrow story. I wasn't sure I could continue either story, but I LOVE these characters and I'm certainly going to try. I try to give you all the best of a rewrite canon-divergence as I can and when certain readers give negative feedback without giving me an idea of what I could work on, it tends to get inside me and makes feel horrible and makes me doubt my abilities as a writer.

I DO NOT mind criticism as long as it's constructive and not just negative and mean. I can always improve and I would like to give you and everyone else here the best story that I can, but I can't do that if some just wanna be Negative Nellies about it. So again, I am sorry, but I want to you all to know that I take all of your opinions to heart sometimes, even when they're negative. I LOVE ALL my stories as much as you enjoy reading them, so, please, remember that when you're making your comments.

 

 


	22. Crazy for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new meta-human is in town and she breaks her boyfriend out of Iron Heights. Now it's up to Team Flash to figure out her powers and her weakness before they ride off into the sunset together.
> 
> Grace reluctantly helps Cisco when he takes Hartley out of his cell to find out what happened to Ronnie....but Hartley got away.

Cisco parked his car in the parking lot of his new apartment complex and got out. He locked it up and headed for the door. He walked to the elevator and pressed the call button, then waited. He and Grace have been living together--officially--for about a week and they were extremely happy so far with the arrangement.

He stepped into the elevator car and pressed the button for the 8th floor. It actually happened quicker than he thought it would have, but he would never complain about Grace’s connections at work. He loved walking in the door after work and knowing that Grace would either be there waiting for him or she’d be coming home soon.

When the elevator doors opened, he stepped out and went to the right. He walked toward 8F. He knew that whenever she was home alone she locked the door. It was something that she’d always done since she was younger--according to Joe--it made her feel safe. Which Cisco thought was adorable because of what she took on every night. He walked into the apartment and shut the door after him.

After flipping all 3 locks, Cisco put his keys and bag by the door, then continued into a lightly lit apartment. “Grace, honey?”

He thought he was going to stop breathing the moment that Grace stepped out of the shadows and into view. She stood in a beautiful and sexy dark red sheer babydoll and what looked like no panties. He walked into the living room and looked at her. “Grace….”

She smiled. That was the best reaction ever! She knew it would never get old to see that reaction. Cisco Ramon was definitely a boost to the ego. And when you grew up a nerd that was a good thing.

* * *

 

“Why are you complaining?” Barry asked as he and Grace walked into the Prison doors. “I thought you said you had to deal with that Mason Bridge guy all day or something.”

Just like Barry flashed his CSI badge, she flashed her reporter/photographer badge. They got access into the prison and he carried his case in to do what he needed to do inside the cell that the prisoner had broken out of. “Sorta,” she answered. “At least until lunch. By the way, Iris is doing great. Eric has asked me to keep an eye on her, even though Mason’s her den mama.”

He laughed. “You guys have weird names for that kinda stuff.”

“I know,” she smiled, then shrugged.

They both walked in and Grace stayed by the door while Barry did his thing. Grace looked down at the floor. “What’s that black stuff on the floor?”

“What?”

She knelt down, still at a safe distance. “There,” she pointed. “What is that?”

Barry picked it up and looked at it. “I have…no idea,” he put some into a tube and then looked around for more. “I think this is how he got out.”

“What do you mean?” Grace asked looking at him.

“Maybe this stuff has a little bit of DNA in it and we can figure out where he is, who he is.”

A few moments later, Joe walked in. He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Good morning, Beautiful.” He looked at Barry. “Hey.”

“Morning, dad.”

“The security cameras in half the prison are shut down. Then Clay Parker, according to this data log, who was still locked in his cell, somehow vanishes.”

“Not completely. Grace found this,” he said.

“What's that?”

“It's some kind of organic particulate residual. She found it on the floor in here, just outside the cell, out in the hallway. Trail led me all the way outside.”

Grace gasped when she seen their father walk into the cell. “Daddy…”

“Dad,” he said at the same time. He took Grace’s hand and Henry held both of their hands.

Grace is crying and she really doesn’t care as she lays her head on her dad’s shoulder and he kisses her forehead. “So... Word around here is, Parker pulled a Shawshank?” Henry asked.

“Yep, and none of the other prisoners heard or saw anything.”

“Well, they wouldn't talk to you about it.”

“Leaves us with not a lot to go on.”

“Well, if there's anyone who can figure out how Parker got out of here, it's you and your sister, Son.”

Grace smiled.

“Come on, Allen, let's go.”

“Duty calls.”

Grace kissed his cheek. “Bye, daddy. Love you.”

Henry turned his head and smiled at her. “Love you too, Princess…to the moon and the stars.”

Her breath hitched as her tears flowed steadily now. She hadn’t heard that in almost 15 years. Barry looked at Joe. “So, my dad just happened to come by?”

“The guard owed me a favor.”

Extremely moved, Barry said, “Thank you.”

Grace inhaled and walked to Joe. “Thanks, dad,” she said between tears.

* * *

 

Barry, Grace and Joe go to S.T.A.R. Labs to see if they can find anything out. They analyze the particulate. “Not even Barry's cells move this fast. I've never seen anything like it.”

“So Clay Parker is a meta-human?”

Grace shook her brunette curls. “No. That’s not possible.”

“Why do you say that, Sweetheart?”

“Because the blast didn’t make it that far so unless he was born this way and it’s just now showing effects I’d say someone broke into the prison to break him out.”

Barry turned and looked at his sister. “Hmm. I’m impressed.”

Her smile widened. “Hey, mom always told me I wasn’t just a pretty face.”

“That you aren’t, Sis.”

Wells smiled. “And again, Miss Allen is correct. The particulate residue Barry gathered at Iron Heights does contain Clay Parker's DNA, but also DNA of a woman.”

Barry turned to Cisco who was sitting at the desk. “Run her DNA against the CCPD criminal database. See if you get a match.”

“Yahtzee.”

“Is that going to be your next catchphrase? You say it all the time.”

He smiled. “Maybe. Her name's Shawna Baez. Mostly petty crimes, and this girl likes to party, apparently. Long list of disorderly conducts at local bars.”

“Oh, this explains so much.”

“What?” Caitlin asked.

“That criminal bad girls are even more desperate to keep their guy than girls who are like me.”

He smiled at her. “So I'm guessing we find her, we find Clay Parker,” Joe said. Barry?”

“Yeah.”

“In the meantime, let's track these particulates and see how they work.”

“I'll be right with you guys.” Cisco walked over to Grace and took her hand. “If I tell you something you have to promise to not say a word to anyone.”

Her eyes squinted skeptically as she folded her arms over her chest. “Okay. What?”

He proceeds to tell her what Hartley Rathaway told him about Ronnie. To say her mind was blown was an understatement. “Cisco, I love you more than anything in this world, but are you hearing yourself right now?”

He squinted his eyes curiously. She sighed and ran a hand through her semi-curly brown hair. “Baby, the love of my life, how do you not know that he’s just saying that to get the jump on you. I mean, he was the equivalent of a bully, baby. He might be just doing this to--”

“I’m not stupid!”

“I never said you were!” she countered. “Look, Baby, I’m trying to help here. I don’t want to fight with you. Fighting with you is the last thing I want.”

“I know, but I have to try!” he insisted. “ _ _Mi Corazon__ , please, I have to try.”

She looked into his eyes and could tell that whatever he was doing he believed it to be the right thing. “Fine. Do what you need to. I’m behind you.” She kissed him quickly, but deeply. “I gotta go. I love you.”

“I love you. Have a good day at work.”

Cisco walked into the makeshift prison where Hartley was and folded his arms in front of him. Hartley smirked. “Where’s that super-hot girlfriend of yours? Did she finally come to her sense and find someone better?”

He rolled his eyes. “No. She doesn’t work at the lab with us. She’s a photographer and Director of the graphics and photography department at the paper.”

“Aww too bad. I wouldn’t mind seeing her again. I wanted to ask her why she was with you. It’s not for money. You’re too poor for that.” He smiled. “However, I've had the biggest craving for Thai food.”

“You said you knew what happened to Ronnie and how he was still alive. And you said Professor Stein was at S.T.A.R. Labs the night of the explosion.”

“Yes. He was.”

“Why?”

“The mystery isn't why Stein went to S.T.A.R. Labs that night. It's why he didn't leave.”

“Tell me.”

“Can't. I have to show you.”

He scoffed. “You are not getting out of this cell.”

“Fair enough, but I know you, Cisco. I know how much you looked up to Ronnie. He was like family. A family you built for yourself here. I know how much you want to see that family healed. Let me help you.”

“I don't believe you.”

“Well, I'm telling you the truth, Cisco. When you are ready, you know where to find me.”

* * *

 

“No, Rick, I don’t think that picture will work.” She picked up another. “This will and it goes with the flow better,” she placed the picture in place. “See?”

Rick, a dark haired, green eyed guy smiled. “Huh. Well, again, Grace. I don’t know how you do it.”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

“Grace, Cisco’s on the phone for you.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Audrey. Excuse me, Rick. Boyfriend.” She walked into her office, locked the door and picked up the phone, pressing the line that was blinking. “Hey, Baby.”

“Would you still love me if I did something really stupid?”

“How stupid?”

“Like let Hartley out of his cell to see what he’s talking about with Ronnie?”

She sighed and slid into the chair. She had a feeling that Hartley would play on Cisco’s guilt for what happened that night. “Baby, for me it doesn’t matter what you do I’m always going to love you. Even when you do highly stupid stuff like let the sound freak out of his cell.”

He felt the warm flutter in his chest. He had no idea how he got so lucky to have her in his life but there wasn’t going to be anything that would make her leave it. If anything he’d make her stay…forever. “How’d I get so lucky?”

“I ask myself that everyday, but, Baby, seriously, don’t let him out. It’s only going to create a bigger problem for all of us later. I love you more than I’ll ever be able to express in our life together, but please think about it. I don’t want you to feel even worse because you believed the psychotic asshole and he betrayed you. If you want my honest opinion I don’t think he knows anything about what happened to Ronnie.”

“But, baby, this will help Caitlin too. Help her move on.”

“Who says she wants to move on right now, Cisco? She loved Ronnie. She wanted a life with Ronnie, a marriage, someday to have kids. If it was me and you had died like that I’d be even worse. I’d probably never even date again. I’d be the spinster aunt to Barry and Iris’ children.”

He chuckled softly. “I know, baby, um…I gotta go. Love you.”

“I love you. Please just think about what I said, okay?”

“I will, I promise.”

* * *

 

Although Grace had asked him to really think about what he was doing when it came to letting out Hartley, he didn’t’ really listen and took him out anyway. After a rough start, Hartley tells him that they need to go to the CCPD. Cisco shook his head. “Are you nuts?! I can’t just walk in there, Hartley!”

“No, but that beautiful girlfriend of yours can. Her foster father works for the CCPD right?”

“Right.”

“So it wouldn’t look entirely unusual if she showed up, right? And you’re practically a member of the family now with how serious you two apparently are, so…”

He sighed and pulled his phone out. He hit Grace’s contact. “Hey, don’t hate me.”

“I’m really going to start hating conversations that start like that, aren’t I?”

“Probably. So, um, do you have access to CCPD or Barry’s lab?”

“Um…if I play the family card, why?”

“Well, this where I ask you not to hate me again.”

Her heart fell with dread and her stomach flipped. “Oh, God, Baby, no…” She sighed. “Meet me there. I gotta drop something off to the printers.”

“Grace--”

“I love you, but you’re an idiot.”

* * *

 

As promised she met them at CCPD and she glared at Hartley. She waved for them to follow her. She walked into the lobby of the CCPD and smiled at a few officers and then she got stopped by someone calling her name. She turned and smiled. “Hey, Hank. What’s up?”

“Carolyn wanted me to say thank you for that home remedy you came up with. It knocked her cold out of her in seventy-two hours.”

She smiled. “Well, you’re welcome. The next time I pray to my mother I’ll tell her that it actually works.”

He nodded. “Thank you again.”

“You’re very welcome. Tell Carolyn I’m so glad that she’s feeling better.” She smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. We’re gonna be meeting my brother and he forgot something in his lab.”

“Okay. Have a good evening.”

“You too, Hank. Be careful out there.” She tapped the call button for the elevator and waited. She pushed Hartley into the elevator car and then stepped inside before Cisco.

He hit the button for the floor his lab was on and then they stepped out. She pushed Hartley down the hallway. “Hey!” He exclaimed. “Watch it.”

“Then walk faster,” she told him. “Don’t need you malingering, Jackass.” She pulled her keys out of her coat pocket and unlocked his lab door. She pulled it open. “Baby?”

“Coming,” he said and walked in before she shoved Hartley inside.

She fired up Barry’s computer and typed in his password. Cisco smiled. “Do I even wanna know?”

She laughed. “He’s my brother. Ask what there is that I don’t know about him. It’ll take less time.” Her cell phone rang as she tapped into the traffic cams. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered, “Grace Allen.”

“Hey, Gracie, it’s me. I have a question for you.”

“I might have an answer,” she said and mouthed to Cisco ‘What’s the date again’?”

“Let me,” he whispered.

“How would you like to come to have drinks with me and Caitlin?” Barry asked.

“Sounds fun. I’ll be right there. Which bar?”

Barry told her the bar and she promised to be there. She looked at Cisco. “You gonna be okay here alone with this jackass while I go have drinks with Barry and Caitlin?”

“Yeah. Go. Have fun.” He tilted his head up and kissed her goodbye. “I’ll call ya if anything comes up.”

* * *

 

The night out with Barry and Caitlin was going well. Very well. They were all having a really good time and Caitlin was getting very, very, very drunk. After the 4th round of drinks, Grace laughed. “Man, she’s gonna be feeling it tomorrow.”

He laughed. “Yeah. Very. So, um…can I be honest with you about something?”

“Sure,” she said and leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. “What’s up?”

“Me and Iris.”

She nodded. “What about you?”

“I thought we’d be in a different place after I confessed my feelings for her.”

She nodded as she swallowed her last bit of martini. “I did too, actually. I thought for sure she would have said she had feelings for you too.”

He sighed. “Maybe I should move on to someone else.”

She nodded. “That might work and you never know it might actually push her into seeing her feelings for you.”

He shrugged. “Very true. Or as I said earlier, maybe I’m destined to be just the friend.”

She slapped him in the arm. “Ow!” he exclaimed. “What was that for?”

“No!” she said. “You are not destined to be the friend. I’ve always believed and I will believe it until otherwise proven that you and Iris will be together and you’ll be that couple that I model my relationship after.”

He laughed softly. “Gracie, you were twelve when you first said that.”

“And you had just told me that you were in love with her.” She sighed. “Barry, do you really think if I didn’t think in some ways my relationship with Cisco could be you and Iris that I would have let myself be ‘just friends’ with him without going out on dates with others.”

“What?”

“Honestly, have I ever been interested in being ‘just friends’ with anyone that I’ve ever dated before we’ve dated?”

“Well, no. So, why did you?”

“Because I wanted this one to be different. I was tired of dating, Barry. I was tired of finding the jerkasses. From the moment I met Cisco I knew he was different and he hasn’t disappointed me since.” Her cell phone buzzed to tell her of a text message and she pulled it out. She looked at the message and looked at Barry. “Gotta go. Cisco needs my help with something.” She stood, kissed his hair and rushed out saying, “Love you, Big Brother.”

She rushed to the precinct and ran into the building, taking the stairs, when she heard the really loud screeching. She looked at the officers. “I got it guys. My brother probably left something on.” She walked into the lab and snapped her fingers and the noise stopped. She rushed to Cisco and knelt down. “Baby? Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I think so!” he yelled, his ears were ringing.

She smiled and looked around. “Where’s Hartley?”

“Uh…”

She sighed. “Come on. Let’s go.”

She got him to his car and back to their apartment. He sighed as he fell onto the couch. “Gracie, what am I going to tell everyone?”

“The truth,” she answered. “Honey, you can’t keep this from them. Caitlin’s gonna figure it out being that she delivers food to that jackass.” She knelt down in front of him and took his hands. “Don’t worry about it.”

“But Wells--”

“Who gives a shit about that asshole. Cisco, you made a mistake. You wanted to trust Hartley despite what I told you because you wanted to find answers as to what had happened to Ronnie that night and there is nothing wrong that.”

“Yeah, and now he’s somewhere in the City.”

“To which we will find him, Baby. I promise you. We will find him.” She pulled him to his feet. “Let’s get you to bed. I may have done some tipsy flying tonight.”

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist and waddled behind her. “You know you’re amazing.”

“So, you’ve said, but why?”

“Because despite everything that happened, what you told me not to do you’re still an amazing girlfriend…supportive and everything.”

“That’s because you’re my best friend and my boyfriend. I’m always going to support you even if I don’t agree with what you’re doing.”

* * *

 

The next morning, Cisco and Grace broke the news to Wells, who was fuming by the time Barry and Caitlin got to the Lab. “What's wrong?”

“Cisco...and Grace have something they need to tell you.”

“Gracie?” Barry asked.

Cisco shook his head. “No, not Grace. This is on me. She had told me not to do it and I didn’t listen.”

“Do what?” Caitlin asked.

“Hartley's gone.”

“He escaped from the Pipeline? How is that even possible?”

Grace moved closer to him, took his hand and squeezed. Cisco sighed. “I let him out. Are you mad? I can't tell with those glasses on.”

“I'd like to yell and wave my arms, but I'm afraid I'd throw up.”

“Why? What were you thinking? You know how dangerous he is,” Barry said, worried.

“Hartley said he knew what happened to Ronnie,” Cisco countered.

“I told you to let it go. I didn't want you looking into that for me.”

“I wasn't doing it for you. I…” he sighed. Grace wrapped her other hand at his elbow and squeezed his hand in support. Cisco continued, “I sealed Ronnie into the accelerator before it blew. He told me to wait two minutes, and I waited, but he didn't come back. And I can't stop thinking, 10, 20 seconds and…” he kissed Grace’s hand then walked to the desks. “Ronnie wouldn't be like he is right now. I've wanted to tell you so many times. I'm so sorry.”

“So you carried that around this whole time?” She walked around the desk and came to him. “Do you know what Ronnie would say if he was here? He would say that you did the right thing. It wasn't your fault. What happened that night wasn't anybody's fault.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on. Don't we have a teleporter to catch?”

“We do have a teleporter to catch,” Wells told them. “And fortunately, we do have a promising theory. Take a look at this. Now, this is the normal behavior of the particulate that Shawna left behind. Watch what happens when we remove light.”

Grace gasped. “Of course!”

“What?”

“She can’t teleport just anywhere!” she exclaimed. “She has to be able to see where she’s going.”

“You are correct, Miss Allen.” He smiled. “Take away her ability to do that…”

“She can't teleport,” Cisco said softly.

“Exactly.”

“So, we just need to get her into a dark space.”

“Which might not be so hard.”

Barry’s phone rang and a few minutes later, he hung up and looked at Grace. Her stomach dropped with her heart. “Wha…wha…what?”

“It’s dad…he’s…he’s been stabbed.”

She gasped, covering her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. “No!” She turned in Cisco’s arms and he wrapped his arms around her.

Barry came to her. “He’s not dead, Kiddo. Just in the infirmary.” He rubbed her back. “Come on.”

* * *

 

They got to the infirmary of the prison and rushed to Henry. Grace gently hugged her father. “Oh, daddy…”

He rubbed her back with one hand. “I’ll be okay, Princess. Promise.”

“Dad... What happened?” Barry asked as he and his sister sat down. Barry sat in the chair by the bed and Grace sat on the bed.

“A rather stern reminder, I'd say, not to poke around Marcus Stockheimer's business.”

“Dad, I told you to stop.”

“Your dad called me with more Intel.”

Barry and Grace shot him a glare.

“It helped us track down Clay and Shawna and arrest Stockheimer,” Joe explained.

“I managed to screw up Marcus's big heist, too, so…”

“You two kept working together, and you didn't tell me?”

“It isn't his fault. I did it to help you.”

“Oh, daddy…..”

“You getting stabbed and beaten is not helping me.”

“Look, I... I... I don't get to feel useful very much in here. You two are all grown up now. You needed me before and you don’t need me now, but if I can help you for a change, I'm gonna want to be there for you. Just like you've been there for me all these years.”

Barry looked up and he and Grace talked without saying words. He nodded. “Yep.”

“You said Marcus had a big heist coming up?”

“Mm.”

“Do you know anything else about it?”

“Dad, tell me who did this to you.”

“Come on, Barry, not now.”

“No, your sister’s right. It doesn't matter, Slugger.”

“But you said you want to help me. So help me.”

“One of Marcus's boys. Julius.”

She watched him walk out and Grace stood. “I’ll be right back. She walked up to her brother. She put him up against the wall. “Don’t do anything stupid, Barry.”

“He hurt dad, Grace!”

“I know that!” she exclaimed quietly. “Don’t you think I get it?! Come on, you, dad and Joe are my heroes. I get it more than you think, but I don’t want to lose you too because you did something stupid.”

He sighed. “You won’t lose me, Kiddo. I’m just gonna scare him a bit. Promise.”

She exhaled. “Fine. Visiting hours are almost over anyway.”

A little while later as she was saying goodbye to Henry, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her coat and answered, “Yeah?”

“Got the info. Meet me outside the prison.”

She nodded. “Got it.” She looked at Henry, kissed his cheek. “Bye, daddy. Get better.”

“Bye, Princess. Bring that boyfriend of yours around. I wanna meet him, especially if he’s gonna become my son-in-law.”

She laughed. “Not there yet, but I will, I promise.” She looked at Joe and he nodded. She took off out of the prison and then spun around, creating a wind tornado and by the time she finished she was changed into her suit. She tapped her earpiece. “Where are you?”

Flash couldn’t answer as there were blows being landed on him with a billy club. She exhaled. “Cisco? Wells?”

“He’s at the tunnel, Baby. Hurry, he’s getting his ass beat.”

She took off and got to the bridge. She went inside and then pounded on the wall with her fist and the ground and walls shook, throwing her off. Gaia landed and walked up to Shawna. Shawna smirked and Grace smiled. “See unlike you, I don’t need my powers to kick your ass.”

“Really?” Shawna said. “My guess is you’ve been sheltered all your life--”

“And you’d be wrong…” she punched her in the face, sending Shawna stumbling back.

Shawna came charging toward her and Grace pushed back and Shawna hit the wall. Shawna slumped down the wall and slowly got up. “Why do you care about him?”

“He’s my brother,” she said. “And you’re stealing from my City, so there for it makes you and your Cowardly boyfriend there my family’s problem.”

* * *

 

After they took Shawna down and put her in a cell, everyone went their separate ways. Grace looked at Cisco. “So, um…my dad’s gonna be okay.”

“Oh, good,” he said smiling. “I’m glad.”

She nodded and then faced him. “He wants to meet you.”

His jaw fell slightly. “What?”

She nodded. “I know. It’s crazy, but I told him about you, Barry’s talked about you and dad’s talked about you. So, now daddy wants to meet you.” She exhaled. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, especially with him being in prison, but uh…”

He kissed her senseless and pulled back. “I’d love to meet him. It’ll give me some insight into who you act more alike.”

She laughed and took his hand. “Wanna go out to dinner? I’m hungry and I thought since we haven’t been out on a date in awhile, it might be fun.”

He smiled. “I’d love to.”


	23. The Nuclear Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace is discovering that maybe dating a scientist who can get obsessed and who seems to have the maturity of a teenage boy may not have been a good idea. Cisco and Grace have hit a rough patch, can they fix it or is it the end? Grace's childhood best friend has moved back and it sparks Cisco's jealous heart, but Grace isn't having it. Will his jealousy be the thing that ruins them or is it something else?
> 
> When Dr. Stein, using Ronnie Raymond as a host hurts a former colleague, Team Flash knows what they have to do. Can they stop him before it's too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I was sorting things out with the other stories I'll be adding to the verse. I've decided to write a Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow series.

 

“Hey, Grace.”

Grace looked up from looking at contact sheets and smiled at the really pretty Asian girl standing in front of her desk. “Hello, Miss Linda. How may I help you?”

She smiled. “You know Barry, right? Barry Allen?”

She nodded, pointing at the door. “I should. We share the same last name.” She smiled up at her. “He’s my older brother. Why?”

“Really? I never knew you had a brother.”

She pointed to a picture that faced out on her desk. “Yeah. He’s two and half years older than me and one of my best friends. Is there a problem?”

“I should ask you that. He asked me out.”

She nodded. “I know. He told me last night when he, my boyfriend and I had dinner with a friend.”

“So, is it cool if I go out with him?”

She shrugged and stood from her chair. “He’s a consenting adult, you’re a consenting adult…I’m not really seeing the problem.”

“I thought maybe with us working together…”

She shook her head. “No. My boyfriend is a colleague of my brother and he’s pretty cool with it.”

“Cool. So, um…do you know if your brother likes tacos?”

“He loves ‘em,” she said smiling. “So’s my boyfriend. I took him to Hacienda the other night. Best tacos in the city…and that’s from a Puerto Rican.” She smiled. “I know that Mexican-American and Puerto Rican foods are different, but still.”

She smiled. “Been there and I agree. Best tacos and the spiciest too.”

She nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Barry’s been wanting to go there since Cisco swooned about it after I took him there.”

She nodded. “Okay. I’ll take him there tonight. Thank you.”

 

“You’re very welcome.” She smiled. She glanced at her clock. “Oh! I gotta run. Surprising the boyfriend with a dinner date.”

She smiled. “That sounds nice. How long have you been together?”

“Um…fourteen months,” she answered.

“So, it’s pretty serious then?”

She nodded. “It is.” She pulled her jacket on and pushed her hair out of her collar. “Have fun with Barry tonight. Oh, and a tip?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

“When he gets nervous and flustered, he babbles, so try to be patient.”

She nodded. “I will do my best. Thank you for being so cool about this.”

She nodded. “Absolutely.” She rushed out.

* * *

 

Grace walked into the Lab and smiled as she watched Cisco working late. Which he’d been doing a lot of lately. Sometimes she wondered if she lived alone. “Hey, Handsome.”

“Ahh…my beautiful amazing girlfriend. What’s up?”

“Brought you dinner,” she said with a smile. “Wanted to surprise you.”

His smile widened. “And you have.” He took the bags and smiled. “Ooh! Chinese food. Awesome! Gracie, you’re the best.”

“Thank you,” she said smiling. “So, I was thinking after all this drama with the Reverse Flash is over….what do you think of sun, sand, bikinis, you and me?”

“Yeah, we could do that,” he said absently as he stared at the screen.

 _ _Outdone by a processor….again. And it’s happening….again__. Cisco was losing interest.

* * *

 

Dr. Carter Stephens walked into CC Jitters and smiled as he looked around. Even after 3 years and the place hadn’t changed at all. He looked around and realized that he didn’t see any familiar faces behind the counter anymore. When he left 3 years ago, both Iris and his childhood best friend, Grace Allen worked behind the counter. Now, it looked like all new faces.

He approached the counter and smiled at the woman at the register. “Good morning.”

She smiled. “Good morning. How may I help you?”

“Do you still make banana nut muffins?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He smiled. “Great. I’ll take two of those along with a large black coffee, please?”

She nodded. She began fulfilling his order. Then took his money, giving him change back. He turned to leave when he seen the group of people walking in, zeroing in on one in particular. Grace.

He was almost instantly slapped with a hard hum of desire. She looked beautiful. Her long brown hair, big blue eyes and that beautiful face that still haunted him after all this time. Finally finding his legs again, he walked past the group and smiled, nodding at Grace.

Grace nodded and smiled at him too in greeting. He chuckled to himself, sipped his coffee and then said as the group walked toward the stairs, “Grace.”

She turns and smiled at the guy. God he was gorgeous. And extremely hot. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked into his eyes. They were a very familiar green. “Yes?”

He laughed. “Huh....I knew I changed and looked different but I didn't think the girl who's known me since we were four years old would forget about me.”

Her heart thudded hard in her chest as an enormous wave of joy swept through her. After a few minutes she gasped loudly, covering her mouth as her eyes welled with tears. “Carter?” she asked her voice thick with tears.

He laughed. “Yeah.”

She couldn’t believe it. He was back. 3 years ago he had devastated her by leaving her and their friendship behind to continue his doctorate at a college there and work for a computer company also. And now he was back and he looked amazing. She didn’t say anything to him as she walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up on her tiptoes. “Oh, my God!” she exclaimed hugging him.

Cisco looked at Barry. "Who's Carter and should I be worried?"

Barry laughed. "No. Carter's her best friend. They've known each other since preschool. They’ve been best friends since the day that they were "forced" to sit next to each other. There's nothing to worry about. All they've ever been to each other is just friends."

Back to Grace and Carter, she sets herself back on her feet, wiping her tears. He was definitely built. It was amazing. He was like a whole new man standing before her. “Wha...wha...what are you doing here? I talked to your mom the other day and she never told me you were coming into town.”

He laughed and looked her up and down. Green was one of her good colors. “You look great.”

She smiled. “Thank you. You too.”

“I'm moving back. I finished up my degree and I worked for that company I emailed you about, but I missed you and I figured why not. Besides, there's someone I need to talk to about something and he lives here, so..."

She smiled. "You're moving back?"

He nodded. "So, we'll have to get together and do lunch or whatever. There's something I wanted to run by you." He smiled at Barry. "Hey, Barry, how are you?"

"I'm good," he said smiling. He hadn't seen a smile that big on his sister in a very long time. “Good to see you, Carter.”

“You too.”

She smiled at Carter and then looked at Cisco and Caitlin. “Oh, let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Cisco Ramon and friend, Dr. Caitlin Snow. Guys, this is Dr. Carter Stephens. He was my Iris.”

Barry chuckled. “You’re such a dork.”

She laughed. Cisco smiled at Carter. “You’re her Iris, huh?”

Carter nodded.

“What’s that mean exactly?”

“Well, I’m sure you’ve seen Iris and Barry together. Their friendship. That’s me and Gracie.” He tried to will away the pain at the thought that she had someone. Friend-zoned again and he hadn’t even been here long. He looked at Cisco. “Good to meet you, Cisco.”

“You too, Dr. Stephens.”

Caitlin smiled. “What are you doctored in?”

“Um…Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering.” He nodded in Grace’s direction. “It was her idea.”

She laughed. “I just said since you love it you should major in it. I never said doctor in it.”

“Well, someone had to keep up with you,” he said.

“You’ve doctored?” Caitlin asked.

She nodded. “Um…a couple of them.” She looked at Carter. “You've been out of college for almost four years, Cart. What would you have to talk to your old lab partner about?”

"There's a project I'm doing and I'm hoping you can help me with it."

She pushed a fallen strand of hair over her ear. “What kind of project?”

“Um…the kind that deals with that amazing scientific brain of yours, more than your creative brain.” He smiled. “Your amazing software developing skills.”

She smiled, nodding. He was always one of a few people that actually encouraged her scientific endeavors. It would definitely feel amazing to get that part of her brain working again. “Okay. Well, lets exchange our information and then you can call me when you're ready to get started."

They exchanged their information and hug one last time. "It's so good to see you, Gracie."

"You too, Cart. Call me. I want to catch up."

He nodded. "Will do." He shook hands with Barry. “I want to catch up with you too when you can pull yourself away from your lab long enough.”

He laughed. “You bet.”

She turned to walk with her friends and Caitlin smiled at her. She huffed. “What?”

“He was hot,” Caitlin said. “Is he single?”

She shrugged. “It wouldn’t matter if he was or not. I’m not.” She climbed the stairs as they continued to talk about the implications of Barry’s speed and getting intimate with someone.

In an attempt to stop the topic he said, “Okay. It is just a second date.”

“A second date?”

They all turned at the sound of Iris’ voice.

“With who?”

“Uh, with Linda Park, The sports reporter.”

Cisco’s phone rang and he walked off to the side to answer.

Grace watched Iris as she seemed a little thrown and maybe a little jealous at the fact that Barry had a date. “That's great. Linda seems great, and you're great. So... Great.”

Cisco looked at the group. “Hey, I gotta go. I gotta help out a friend.” He took Grace’s hand. “Come with me.”

She stumbled out of her chair and caught her balance.

“Everything okay? We just got here,” Barry called after them.

Cisco continued to drag her out of the shop as he said, “Yeah, We'll see you guys later.”

* * *

 

By the time they got to the street that she grew up on, she was seriously regretting riding with him. Ever since they left the coffee shop, Cisco had all but interrogated her about what Carter was like and how ‘close’ they were. She got out of the van and walked around, looking both ways as she said, “Oh, my God! Cisco, let it go!”

“I’m just wondering why you never mentioned him to me,” he said as he grabbed his kit.

She sighed. “I did. I just never showed you pictures of him.” She exhaled heavily. “Now, please, let it go.” She looked at him. “I introduced you as my boyfriend.”

“Are you going to go to lunch with the guy?”

She groaned and stomped to meet her dad across the street, right in front of her childhood home. “I’m not doing this anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to fight and you’re annoying me to the point of pissing me off. Now stop.” She hugged Joe and kissed his cheek.

“What’s going on between you two?”

“Carter’s back in town,” she explained. “He doesn’t look like the nerd he was.”

“He’s back?” Joe asked.

She nodded. “Ran into him at Jitters. He looked good.” She looked over her shoulder. “Tell you later.” She put her hands in her pockets. “What are we doing at my old house, dad?”

“This is your house?”

She nodded. “Was. It was sold in an estate sale years ago.” She looked at Joe. “Dad?”

“I have a theory about who might have been involved in Nora’s death. I thought we could reexamine the crime scene, you could apply your technical expertise and help me prove who really did it.”

“For sure, we should get Dr. Wells and Caitlin in on this.”

“No, we should keep this between us for the time being. If too many people know, Barry will find out, and I don't want to involve him until we know something definitive.”

“Hold on,” Grace said. “Time out. You want me to go back into that house. I haven’t been in that house in fifteen years, dad and now you want me to…” she shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

Joe smiled. “Yes, you can. I know you don’t want to do it, but Sweetheart I need your help, please.”

She looked into his dark eyes and caved. “Okay. But I reserve the right to leave if I need to.”

He nodded. “Absolutely.” He knocked on the door. “Hello, ma'am. I'm Detective West. This is Cisco Ramon. And Grace Allen.”

“Oh, please, it's Sherry, like the drink.” She attempted a sexy giggle.

Grace almost rolled her eyes. Sometimes women could be so obvious.

Sherry smiled at Joe. “What can I do for you, Detective?”

“I don't know if you were aware, but there was a homicide in this residence approximately 15 years ago.”

“Oh, I know.”

“We've reopened the investigation. Do you mind if we come in and take another look around?”

“Oh, not at all.” She let them inside.

“Thank you. Do you live alone?” Joe asked.

“Yes, I'm divorced.”

Grace looked around. She could still remember how mom and daddy had it set up. She still remembered seeing her mom’s body as Joe escorted her out of her house, but it looked…so different too. “Wow…she really changed it.”

“Really?” Cisco asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. Um…I still remember…um…the way mom had designed it, but uh…it’s different.” She sighed. “Anyway, um…let’s do this.”

* * *

 

“I'm not picking up anything. Not even with The Super Light.”

“Super Light? Well, technically it's a multi-spectrum, violet laser-enhanced scanner that detects molecular schisms in the 600 mega-volt range, but I figured "Super Light" was easier to say.”

“Right, but what does it tell you?” Joe asked.

Cisco sighed. “Nothing we didn't already know about that night.”

“Okay, keep looking.”

Sherry walked back into the room, this time in a slinky black dress. “Ahem. Uh, can I get you boys something to drink? Water? Soda? Wine?”

“Uh, we're fine. Thank you,” Joe said.

“Well, if you change your mind, I've been told my strawberry daiquiris are sinful.”

Grace snickered. Joe looked at her. “Be quiet, you.”

Cisco looked at him innocently. “I will not judge you.”

Joe started going over the crime scene, describing each placement.

Joe, I think... I just think maybe it's been too long, and everything's different.”

Grace’s heart thundered in her chest. “Not everything, Sweetheart.”

“What?”

“This mirror,” she said pointing at the mirror bureau combo. “This mirror….mom loved this mirror.”

“Sherry must have bought it at the estate sale.”

Knowing what this could mean, her heart thudding in her chest so hard, she looked at Joe. “Dad hit the lights.”

“What? Why?”

“Babe, let me see the light,” she said. He handed her the light. She looked at Joe. “Please, dad. Turn the light off.”

He made it pitch black in the room and she scanned the back of the mirror with the light. She smiled. “I knew it.”

“What?” Joe asked.

“Back in the 1830s a Justus Von Liebig invented the silver nitrate mirror.”

“Okay, and?”

“And silver nitrate is a chemical used in photography.” Grace couldn’t believe it. Her brother’s account of that night was true. She looked at Cisco. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Baby?”

He nodded. “If there were two speedsters there that night, the sparks from their movement would have generated enough flashes to actually expose images onto the silver nitrate.”

Grace nodded. “Exactly.”

“You saying what I think you're saying?”

“This mirror might contain photographs of what actually happened that night.”

Grace looked at Cisco. “Come on. I know where to go.”

* * *

 

“I sent Sherry to the movies.”

“Trust me, the best show in town is going to be in here tonight,” Cisco said as he continued to prepare.

“So you're telling me you can get actual photographs from this thing?”

“The science is solid. It works exactly like an old film camera. I developed the mirror backing, and fortunately for us, the lightning went off about ten times that night.”

“Multiple exposures.”

Grace smiled. “Exactly dad.” She checked over the equipment. “The program ready?”

He nodded. “I went ahead and enhanced them digitally and, just for kicks, decided to extrapolate a 3-D hologram from the original 2-D.”

They turned out the lights and Cisco hit the play button on the device. Grace gasped. “Mama.” She looked at her mother. Her mom looked so scared that night as red blur and yellow blur raced around her. “Red and yellow lightning….” Recognition dawned as she had thought about what her brother said and what color he was.

“What?”

“Red and yellow lightning,” she said. “Barry was ten. He had no idea what these were. So, he described it the best he could. Red and Yellow lightning.”

“Right, Sweetheart,” Joe said. “What’s your point?”

She looked at her dad. “Um….I know Wells said that there was no way that there was more than one of the people that were like Barry, but what if he’s wrong.” She pointed at the pictures. “The only one that I know who can go that fast is Barry, but what if there are others out there?”

Joe smiled at her. “Nice to know that my detective brain not only passed to your brother and sister.”

She laughed. “And to think, Barry and I aren’t even biologically yours.” She winked at him playfully.

They looked at the pictures again as Cisco played them back. “Can you play it again? Slower?” Joe asked.

Cisco started again. Joe pointed. “There, there. You see that?”

Remembering what Barry said about cast off she looked toward the wall in the other room. “Dad…look!”

Joe seen the red dots and he looked at her. She seemed to be frozen. “This wallpaper's new.” He tore it back and Grace gasped when she saw it.

“Oh, man. Is that blood?” Cisco asked.

“We had a husband who was holding the same weapon that killed his wife. We weren't looking for any other suspects. That blood belongs to one of the two speedsters that was here that night. Maybe the one that killed Nora.”

“I'll get a sample kit.”

“I got you,” Joe said to the cast off.

Grace quietly sobbed. “Dad…”

Joe let the wallpaper drop and walked to her. “Oh, Sweetheart.” He held her and rubbed her back. “I told you we’d figure it out.”

“Daddy didn’t do it….”

“No, Sweetheart, he didn’t.” He felt her collapse against him and he just held her, soothing her. “Shh…it’s okay, Sweetheart. It’s okay.”

Later after Cisco got the sample and was about to head to the lab, Grace looked at both Joe and him and said, “I’ll see you guys later. I’m gonna…I have to go for a walk.”

“Grace--”

“No, Cisco, don’t. Her brother’s suspicions were confirmed. She needs to process it all.”

* * *

 

As Grace got to the corner she pulled out her cell phone and found the person she was looking for, she pressed call and waited for the person to pick up. “Hey, where do you live now?”

The person on the phone told her the address and she looked around jumped and started flying toward her friend’s place. She landed on the sidewalk right out front of a beautiful 2-story Craftsman. She walked up the steps and knocked.

The door came open moments later and Carter smiled. “Couldn’t stay away, huh?”

She laughed. “Shut up.” She folded her arms in front of her. “You gonna invite me in?”

He nodded and stepped aside. As she walked in he noticed she’d been crying. “Gracie, were you crying?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I was.” She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. “Nice room.”

“Thanks. I’ll give you the grand tour later. I was about to open a bottle of Merlot. Want some?”

She smiled up at him. “Please. That sounds really good. I haven’t had wine since Christmas. Cisco doesn’t drink wine or I should say prefers not to.”

He smiled. “It’s all I drink. Tell me what’s wrong?” He said and sat on the ottoman in front of the couch. “Did you and Cisco have a fight?”

“Yes and no.” She started wringing her hands.

He saw her wringing her hands and nodded. “You fought about me, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “Technically, yes. He thinks I should have told him you were a male supermodel.”

He laughed. “It’s just contacts, tanner and working out. Not really that big of a deal.”

She smirked. “Only you would say that.”

He shrugged. “It’s still me in here, Grace.”

She knew that. She could see him in there. “I know. You’re right and if I was single you’d be the guy I’d be avoiding.”

His heart almost fell from his chest. “Why?”

“Carter, looking at you now you’re the exact type that I have totally sworn off.”

“Bad experience?”

She nodded. “I’ve had four boyfriends. Two you know and you remember how those ended. And then there was Josh. He was just like Finley. And Cisco.”

He nodded. “And Cisco’s your knight in shining armor?”

She stood up. She shrugged. “I don’t know.” She began to pace. “I really don’t. Some days he’s the most amazing boyfriend. Other times he’s…my brother.”

Carter winced. “That’s weird. Why’d you say that?”

She shook her head. “Never mind. Back to the real reason why I’m here.” She exhaled and sat down next to him on the ottoman. “I was just at the house?”

“Joe’s house?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. My old house.”

“Oh, God…why’d you go there?”

“Because dad reopened the case. There’s been new evidence that dad thinks may prove Barry right that daddy didn’t kill mama.”

He nodded. “That’s great, Gracie.” He put a hand on her back and gave her the comfort she needed to continue. “Why were you there?”

“Because dad said he wanted my help,” she said. “He had asked Cisco too. Cisco works for S.T.A.R. Labs and I’m a consultant with them too. So, he asked me to come to the house.” She took a breath as Carter rubbed her back.

“Take your time.”

“There was still evidence in the house,” she admitted. “Blood…”

“Blood?”

She nodded. “Cast off from that night.”

“Oh, Cricket, that’s good. That means they’ll be able to figure out who really did it.”

She smiled at the nickname. He’d been calling her that since kindergarten explaining to her it was because she couldn’t seem to sit still and had to be jumping somewhere. She hadn’t realized how much she missed it until now. “Yeah.”

“So, what’s the problem, Cricks?”

She smiled. “It just seems….” she sighed. “Maybe this is my investigative journalist brain and the instincts of my detective foster father, but it seems to be too…coincidental that we found it.” Her stomach churned. God she hated lying to him. That wasn’t why she was feeling the way she was.

She had to figure something out, because she couldn’t be friends with him and lie to him like this. But could she tell him her secret?

* * *

 

The next morning, Audrey almost lost her tongue when she saw the absolutely gorgeous blond haired man look down at her. “Is this Grace Allen’s office?” he asked, the timbre of his voice sounded like sex on a stick.

She nodded. “Yes…” she said breathlessly. Regaining her composure she said, “But Miss Allen’s not in yet. She’s in a meeting. Can I take your name and possibly your number?”

He smiled. “My name is Carter Stephens. She knows me and my number.” His smile widened. “But nice try.”

Grace looked up from the contact sheets she just got and her mouth fell open slightly. “Hey, Carter.”

He turned and smiled. “Hey, Cricket.” He saw the slight furrow in her brow. “Ooh, who pissed you off?”

Audrey looked at him. “How do you know she’s pissed?”

“Her brow furrows slightly.” He smiled at Audrey. “It’s the little things you learn when you’ve known someone for almost twenty years.” He looked back at Grace and held up what he had in his hands. “Too busy for breakfast. I was hoping to run my project by you.”

She nodded. “Right.” She looked at the small box from Jitters. “Banana nut?”

He nodded. “Still your favorite?”

She nodded. “Come on.” As she walked into her office, her cell phone started buzzing. She picked it up. “Grace Allen,” she answered.

“Hey, Gracie, it’s me.”

“Hey, Iris what’s up?”

“Do you think we can talk later?”

“Sure, um….wanna have dinner? Just us.”

“That sounds great. Seven-thirty?”

“You got it. You pick the place,” she said and then hung up just as her phone buzzed again. She looked at the text. She sighed. “It’s dad. He needs me to come to the station.”

He nodded. “It’s cool. I’ll just leave the coffee and the muffin with you and take the other.” He sighed. “I hadn’t realized your life was so busy.”

“You have no idea.” She felt horrible. “Have lunch with me. I’ll meet you in the park. We can sit under the tree we used to sit under every summer to people watch.”

He nodded. “However, how about we go to O’Reilly’s and order tacos.”

She smiled. “Sounds good. Meet you there, say one o’clock?”

He nodded. Sounds great.” She kissed his cheek and then walked out.

* * *

 

Grace got to Barry’s lab just as the computer beeped to confirm their thoughts…there was 2 speedsters that night. “What’s up?”

“Well, looks like there were two,” Cisco told her, then kissed her lips when she came to him. “I’m gonna run it through the database.”

“Can you run them against a specific person?”

“Yeah, sure, if we have something to match it to. Who are we looking at?”

“Dr. Harrison Wells.”

“I thought we were trying to solve their mom's murder,” Cisco said.

“We are, Baby,” Grace insisted.

“I'm asking you to keep this between us.”

“You think Dr. Wells killed their mom? No way. He didn't even know Barry then. Why would he kill his mom?”

“I don't know yet. But I do know that Wells keeps secrets. And this may be one of them.”

“Dr. Wells is a great man. I was nothing when he gave me a job, a chance to change my life. He has helped so many people. He's not a murderer,” Cisco insisted.

“Cisco, I'm a cop. I'm good at reading people, so I know I can trust you with my suspicion. When I go talk to the family and friends of a murder suspect, somebody I know is guilty, and I tell them the person they love is a killer, guess what they all say. That's not the person I know.”

He looked at Grace. “Aren’t you going to say something? You’ve worked with him.”

“I have, but Cisco, I can’t shake my gut here. And my gut is saying that there’s something off. That Dr. Wells isn’t who he says he is.” She folded her arms over her chest and said, “And he has a very weird obsession with my brother that I don’t like.”

Cisco scoffed. “So, that’s your criteria to think he killed your mother? Because he’s been helping your brother get faster. I think you’re--”

“Don’t you dare!” she screamed. “I am not jealous of my brother. I have no reason to be. Look whether you like it or not my dad and I are going to be looking into your boss and you can be angry and annoyed with me all you want for not taking your side, but we’re adults, Cisco. You’ve known from the beginning I make up my own mind and I told you from the beginning sometimes you won’t like the result, but you know what. I don’t care. This is my family. I promise you that I’m right. This is both my journalism gut and the gut of a cop’s daughter.”

“Well, good. I’m glad you’re so sure of it.” He grabbed his coat. “I think I'm done being a cop for today.”

Grace sighed. She turned to Joe. “You know ever since Carter came home he’s been agitated and annoyed with me. He’s jealous of my best friend.”

“That’s because he thought he was your best friend.”

“He is!” she exclaimed. “God! We’re not in elementary school anymore. I shouldn’t have to pick one over the other. And I’m allowed to have more than one best friend.”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t. And you aren’t.” He sighed.

“But I’m not going to hold his hand through this. He’s gonna have to get through his own jealousy.” She walked out of the room too. Not angry with her dad but at Cisco. He’d been having this weird jealousy thing since he met Carter yesterday and she was getting tired of it.

* * *

 

Grace walked from the precinct to Carter’s street and knocked on the door. He peeked through the window that was cut out in the door and smiled. “Hey, Cricket! It’s not lunch yet.”

She laughed. “Don’t you have a job?”

He shook his head. “It’s a long story, however, to simplify it--I don’t need to work anymore if I don’t feel like it.”

“Why not? Did you win the lottery?” she asked pushing her coat off her shoulders.

He laughed and took her coat. “No. Not the lottery. Just a round of good luck with inventions and stuff. I’ll talk about it later.”

She nodded. She sat down on the couch and he sat on the ottoman like he did the other night. “So, what’s up?”

She sighed. “Cisco’s stubborn.”

“About what?”

She bit her bottom lip and thought about it for a minute and then changed the subject. “Cisco’s mad because one of Joe’s suspects of who killed mom is his mentor and boss, Harrison Wells.”

“Harrison Wells?!” he exclaimed.

She nodded. “That’s a long story which we will get to, but that’s not what’s wrong.” She told him everything that was said in the lab and then finished, “He walked out angry at me because I didn’t take his side.”

“Who says you have to?” he asked not expecting an answer.

She sighed and sat back on the couch. “He’s jealous of you. He’s annoyed with me because I didn’t tell him what you looked like--in my defense, I did. He just probably thinks I downplayed you to not make him jealous.”

He laughed. “Like I said last night, Cricket. It’s still me in here. Just some minor changes. Got tired of the glasses and looking like a ghost. The workouts are because I ran the New York Marathon and liked how I felt after I trained. So, afterwards I started lifting weights to build muscle.”

She leaned forward and smiled. “Carter, you never have to give me an explanation to your changes as long as you’re still the guy that carried me home after I fell off my bike because you thought I broke my leg. And as long as you’re the same guy who saved me from that jock who tried to get some at prom our senior year. I don’t really care what you look like.”

He laughed. “No problem with that. That part of me will never change. So, what’s the problem then?”

“I’m dating someone who has the emotional maturity of a teenage boy.” She sighed. “Don’t get me wrong sometimes it’s nice to be able to just act like a kid, but other times it'd be nice to go out and not have anything be referenced to Star Wars, Star Trek or something in the media. She shrugged and told Carter, "I think I'm maturing and my boyfriend is stunted. We've talked about being together for a long time, but lately with everything with my mom and dad...it's making me wonder if we'll be able to make it work. You know the whole when the shit hits the fan kinda thing...would he support me? I'm not entirely sure he would."

He was actually surprised by her confession. He nodded. “Uh....maybe you should talk to him about how you're feeling. And maybe if things don't change maybe you both should I don't know call it a day on the relationship, because it sounds like to me you might be in different places or getting there. But I don't know your relationship like you do."

She smiled. That right there told her she needed to tell him her deepest secret. “Um…Carter, there’s something I need to tell you.” She scooted forward and crossed her legs at the ankles. “Um…it’s something that happened to me…” she sighed. “I was at S.T.A.R. Labs the night the particle accelerator exploded.”

“Were you okay?”

She nodded. “I was okay, not great, but okay.” She took a deep breath and said quickly, “Ihavepowers.”

His eyes widened in surprise and said, “Could you say that again, but slower.”

“I have special powers.”

A wave of shock washed over him. “Special powers?” Was she trying to tell him that she was like him?

She nodded. “Yeah.”

She held out her hand and looked into her palm and Carter watched as in the middle of her palm a fireball appeared. He jumped back. “Wha…what…the hell?” His mouth gaped open. “You’re a pyrokenetic?”

She nodded. “It’s not just pyrokinesis though. Um…I control the Earth’s elements. I have no idea how it happened, but…it did. All I can tell you is the yellow wave that swept through the City wet right through me and a few weeks later I woke up in the hospital.” She smiled. “A young friend likes this trick. Hold out your hand.”

He held out his hand, palm facing up. She then placed her hand, palm down over top of it. Carter gasped softly as he watched the red-orange and whitish glow. She then cupped her hand and then lifted. Sitting inside his large palm was a glass phoenix. “Oh, wow…”

She smiled. “Yeah. Oliver Queen’s daughter likes that trick too.” She exhaled. “That’s not all. You know that Red Streak…the Flash and his sister, Gaia?”

He nodded and then halted. “You’re-you’re-you’re Gaia?”

She nodded. “I am.” She sucked in her bottom lip nervously and sighed. “I’m a member of Team Flash. The Flash is Barry.”

His jaw dropped and then he connected the dots. “The lightning that night?”

She nodded. “Right. Um…Dr. Wells, Cisco and Caitlin are our teammates. Joe helps when he can and Iris has no idea and dad wants to keep it that way. Eddie, Iris’ boyfriend who’s Joe’s partner knows we exist but doesn’t know it’s me and Barry.”

He smiled. “Okay. I won’t say a word.”

She smiled. “I know you won’t. That’s why I told you, plus, I could never lie to you, so…”

He smiled. “Well, since you told me your secret I’ll tell you mine.” He exhaled. “I was there when the accelerator exploded. I had come home from New York to surprise you, Barry and Iris and knew you’d be at the Lab, so I went there. I got to where everyone was gathered and everything went yellow-white and then black. Woke up in the hospital. Then two weeks later, I was able to do this….” he raised his hand and snapped his fingers--the television came on--then he snapped his fingers again and it went off.

“Carter! Oh, my God! What…?”

“It’s called Techno-kinesis. Um…I can control and manipulate and even create technology. And I can do other things within those powers. I’ll show you some time. The inventions I’ve created that has made me money was from this power.” He shrugged. “I figured I mind as well use it to my advantage since it was forced on me.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I felt that way when I joined my brother to be Gaia.”

They continued to talk and Grace couldn’t believe how easy it was to still talk to him. She had always known she could tell him anything and everything. Her phone buzzed in her blazer pocket and she pulled it out.

“It’s your brother.”

She smirked and looked down at the caller ID. She laughed. “You’re so telling me how you did that.”

He laughed as she answered, “Hey, big brother. What’s up?” She listened. “Do you mind if I bring Carter? Um…there’s--yeah, he knows. I told him. I had to!” she argued. “I can’t lie to him, you know that.” She sighed. “Okay. Besides, he’s a Meta too.” She paused. “Yeah. We’ll explain when we get there.”

“Where am I going?” he asked when he hung up.

“To the Lab with me,” she said. “Please?”

He nodded. “But you’re not flying us in. I’m driving.”

She nodded. “Let’s go.”

* * *

 

They walked into the building of S.T.A.R. Labs and she headed to where everyone was. “Hey, what was so urgent that it required a all-hands--” she stopped when she seen a shirtless guy in the lab. “Okay….um…you’re new.” Then remembering a picture of Caitlin’s fiance she said, “Ronn--no…”

He smiled. “Martin Stein.”

From behind her she heard Carter gasp. “Hey, Stephens, you okay back there?”

“Uh…yeah.” He smiled. “I’m Dr. Carter Stephens and this is Grace Allen--”

“Are you Mr. Allen’s--”

“Sister. Little sister.”

He smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, Sir.” They walked into the room where everyone was gathered. “So, what was the emergency?”

“Who’s this?” Wells asked.

“Oh! Um…Dr. Carter Stephens, Dr. Harrison Wells.” She smiled. “Carter’s my best friend.”

“Hello, Dr. Wells, nice to meet you.”

“You too. Mr. Allen told me that you’re a Meta too?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

Cisco eyed him suspiciously. “Really? What can you do?”

“Um….” he pointed to a computer. “May I…?”

“Of course.”

Cisco scoffed. “Meta…my as--ugh!”

Grace looked at him. “Stop being rude.”

Carter walked up to the computer and touched the screen. The entire system began to fail. Cisco’s jaw fell. “What did you do?!”

Grace grabbed his arm. “Give him a chance.”

“He ruined--”

“Francisco!” she yelled and everyone stopped. “Relax. I trust him. If he breaks it he can fix it.”

Carter waved both hands over it and it like rebooted. He smiled. “I’m a techno-kin--”

“Techno-kinesis,” Wells finished. “The ability to manipulate, create and shape technology at will.”

He nodded. “Not exactly sure how. I was coming to surprise Grace, Barry and Iris and headed here first and then I woke up in the hospital.” He smiled. “I’ve lived with it for a year. It’s helped me finish some of my inventions, so…” he cleared his throat. “So, what’s going on with that guy out there. I’d like to help if I can.”

“Of course he--ow!” Cisco muttered, rubbing his sore foot with his leg. “Would you stop doing that?”

“Stop being a jerk!” she said, seething quietly.

“It seems Ronnie's fight with The Flash has exacerbated the Firestorm Matrix. It's unstable. Exponentially increasing the rate of fission inside his body.”

“Well, how long does he have?” Caitlin asked.

“If his temperature keeps rising at the current pace, no more than a couple of hours.”

“But you can fix it, right? I mean, you... you can separate them before it's too late.”

“No,” Carter said softly. “If you separate them it could cause a nuclear explosion. And if Dr. Wells is correct in his assessment then that type of explosion could destroy the entire City. We’d all die.”

Something seemed to click in Grace’s brain. “Unless….”

“Unless what?” Barry asked his sister.

“Well, unless something happened to Ronnie’s body. If he’s no longer functional then they could separate because the nuclear connectors are destroyed. And no nuclear connection, no…ka-boom when they separated.”

Dr. Wells nodded. “Miss Allen is correct.”

“You want to kill Ronnie?” Caitlin asked.

“No, I don't want to kill Ronnie. But in this scenario, Ronnie is the host body.”

“If you kill Ronnie, you kill Stein. That's two people.”

“I don't know how else to stop it. And my guess is that if Ronnie and Professor Stein knew the consequences that we were all facing, they would make the same decision. It's two lives for millions.”

“If I may say something, please?” Carter asked.

“Go ahead, Doctor.”

“Carter,” he said smiling. “Um…Dr. Wells, may be right. But I may have a way for them all to come out of this alive. But I need you to trust--”

“Trust you?” Cisco asked. “We don’t know you.”

“We do,” Barry cut in before Grace could. “He grew up across the street from us. I’ve seen the guy go from a freckled face, four-eyed nerd to this. I’d trust him with my life.” He looked at Cisco. “What is wrong with you? You’re really being a jerk today.”

“Sorry. I don’t know him, so I don’t trust him.”

Caitlin looked at the others and asked, “Can you give us a minute?”

They nodded and walked out. Barry stopped him. “What is wrong with you, huh? You keep this up and you’ll lose her, you know?”

“What?”

“Don’t make her chose, Cisco. You won’t like her decision.”

Caitlin walked out of the other room and walked up to Carter. “How?”

“How…what?”

“How would you do it?” She sighed. “How are you going to separate my fiance from Dr. Stein?”

“Oh! Um…a quantum splicer. I have one--a prototype back at my house.”

“Is it operational?” Caitlin asked.

“Cait, you’re actually going to let him--”

“It’s something!” Caitlin exclaimed. “Can you go home to your place and get it and come back?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“How is he going to get to his house and back?” Cisco asked.

“I’ll fly him,” Grace said. “If that’s okay?”

Carter nodded. “Absolutely.”

She smiled. “Do you trust me?”

“For the record you never have to ask me that.”

She smiled and took his hand. “Just go with it, but don’t be dead weight. You be dead weight and I can’t keep both us of us up that way.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

* * *

 

They went to Carter’s house and he quickly found the splicer as she was getting them back up in the air, her comm beeped. “Yes, Dr. Wells?”

“Get over to the Badlands. That’s where they are.”

“Got it.” She looked at Carter. “I know I don’t have to ask.”

He smiled. “I trust you.”

She nodded and jet-propelled up and then back down quickly, gaining speed and then with a boom she was flying off to the Badlands. Seconds later, they landed in the direction of the Badlands. They got the splicer to Caitlin and Barry quickly.

Caitlin explained the device to Stein and then looked into the eyes of the man she loved and said, “Ronnie…if you’re in there. I love you.”

Carter heard Grace gasp and he took her hand. Stein put the device on and it activated immediately.”

 

Back at the lab, Wells and Cisco listened. “I knew it,” Cisco said. “What a hack. It’s not going to work. It’s going to blow.”

“Get out of there,” Wells told them.

Barry looked at Grace. “Go. We’ll be right behind you.”

She nodded. She looked up at Carter. “Wanna terra-surf?”

“Terra-Surf?”

She nodded and held out her hand. He took it and she positioned herself like she was going to run and they told off like a bolt. She straightened and began moving like she was surfing. From somewhere behind them they heard the large and loud roar. She felt it beneath her feet, the rumbling of the explosion and she knew the plume was following them. She went faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, Cisco and Grace's relationship will be coming to an end. I'm sorry all. However, I hope you enjoy Carter as much as I am writing him. :-)


	24. Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation from Nuclear Man...now that Ronnie and Stein are separated can they live normal lives or will they accept their destinies?
> 
> It's the first few days of the break that Cisco and Grace are on. 
> 
> At the end of a rescue mission, Carter confesses his feelings for Grace.

To protect them both from the plume, Carter grabbed for Grace and tucked her under his body as they rolled. When they finally stopped he rolled on top of her.

“Ugh!” she groaned as his weight settled on her. She was panting a little. She looked down at Carter. “Hey, You okay?”

He nodded. “You?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll be even better when my one-hundred and eighty pound best friend gets off me.”

He immediately shot to his feet and helped her to her own. “Sorry!”

She laughed softly. “It’s okay.” She sighed and looked around. Not far from them was Barry and Caitlin. “Barry! Caitlin!”

They both rushed to the others. Carter stared at his friend and seemed to scan him and then moved to Caitlin. “Are you okay, Dr. Snow?”

“Caitlin,” she said, “And yes, I’m fine.” She looked out at the aftermath of the explosion. “Oh, God. The nuclear explosion. There's no telling how much radiation we were exposed to.”

“Wait... wait, wait, wait, wait, this can't be,” Cisco said. “The Geiger counter in the suit... it's reading less than one millirad.”

“But that's normal.”

“There's no radiation.”

“But how?” Grace asked pulling her hand through her hair. “Does that mean it worked?” She looked at Carter.

“More than likely,” he said confidently.

Grace smiled and then tapped her comm. “By the way, Ramon, we’re going to talk when I get back.”

“Yes, Dear.”

“Don’t do that!” she almost yelled. “Don’t fucking pacify me with ‘Yes, Dear’. I hate that.”

Barry looked at the others and said, “Let's go.”

Grace took Carter’s hand and again like the other times felt the sparks almost instantly. She sighed. “Come on.”

They get to the edge of the hole that the explosion created and start climbing down.

“Did it work? Did you separate them?” Cisco insisted.

“I don't know,” Barry told him.

Caitlin eased toward the man sprawled out in the dirt. “Ronnie? Tell me your name.”

“Ronnie Raymond,” he respond. He tucked a hand behind her head and whispered, “Cait. It's me.” They kissed.

“Uh, pardon me,” Professor Stein said. “Obviously, I need a change of clothes.”

“Nice to see you in the flesh again, Professor Stein.” Barry smiled. “We're coming home. All of us.” Barry released his comm.

Grace squealed jumping up and down. She hugged Carter. She looked up at him with such pride. “You did it!”

“That was a prototype?” Caitlin asked.

“It was a prototype?” Stein asked.

He nodded. “It’s only been tested twice. I hadn’t done the final test when Caitlin said she wanted an alternative.”

Ronnie stood and walked to him. “Well, thank you, Dr. Stephens.”

He smiled. “Call me Carter.”

Grace smiled. “Let’s go home.” She sighed, feeling proud of them all.

* * *

 

Awhile later, after getting everyone settled with everything they needed, Grace grabbed Cisco. “We need to talk.” Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out. “After I do whatever dad needs.” She answered, “Hey, dad. What’s up?”

“Get Carter and meet me at your old house. There’s something you gotta see and you’ll tell Carter anyway, so….”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He smiled. “Never.”

“Okay. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.” She hung up the phone. “Hey, Carter?”

“Yeah, Cricket?”

“Cricket?!” Everyone chorused.

He winced. “Sorry. I didn’t think. It just….”

Grace smiled. “You seriously need to breathe, man, before you pass out.”

“Cricket?” Cisco asked. “He has a nickname for you?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not doing this. Excuse me.” She began walking out, but stopped. “If you must know he’s been calling me Cricket since the first grade. And yes, there’s a story behind it and no, no one will find out.” She looked at Carter. “Jumping in the shower, be out in a few minutes.”

“Okay. I’m gonna freshen up too.”

“I’ll show you to the other bathroom.”

Cisco followed her into the showers. She began taking off her clothes to get inside. She looked at him. “What?”

“I can’t believe he’s got a nickname for you,” Cisco said.

“Keep your voice down! It echoes in here, Cisco!”

“I seriously think he wants you.”

“Oh, my God!” she screamed. “Would you leave it alone already?! God, you’re acting like my teenage boyfriend did!”

“Well, maybe there was a reason--”

“There is no excuse or valid reason to act like a jackass, Cisco!”

He almost growled at her and she shot him a glare. “God damn it!” She yelled. “You’ve got the maturity of a teenager, Cisco. I’m not doing this. I can’t be with someone who acts like this.”

“Grace--”

“Get out!” she yelled.

“Grace, wait a second--”

“I SAID GET OUT!” she screamed and it echoed throughout the lab.

* * *

 

Carter and Grace waited outside the yellow, blue and red home when Barry and Joe showed up. They all walked inside and Grace walked in, her high-heeled boots hitting the wood with a soft click. Barry looked around. “It's smaller than I remember.”

“That’s what I said,” she said as she hugged herself like she was trying to block out the cold.

“Yeah. It's because you're bigger. Have you been in here? I mean, recently.”

“No. I haven't been in this house since that night.”

“Bar?” Joe pointed to the mirror as Carter and Grace followed Barry. “This mirror... you remember it?”

“Yeah. It belonged to our grandma. How is it still here?”

“Just be glad it is. Look... I don't fully know how Cisco did it, but…”

“Did what? Joe, what are we doing here?”

Joe motioned for Barry to get out of the way. He turned the device on and all 3 of the kids saw Nora Allen in the dining room again. “Mom,” Barry said softly.

Grace’s breath hitched and held Carter’s hand.

Joe showed them the Speedster blurs. “You can definitely see two very fast people fighting around your mother.”

“Two speedsters.”

“You see that?” Joe asked.

“The blood?” Barry asked.

“Cisco and I had the DNA tested. It's yours.”

“What? That can’t--”

“No, it's not. That's impossible. I wasn't even downstairs yet.”

“No, Barry. Not that you. __This__  you.”

“What?!” Carter and Grace said in unison.

“Cisco had the samples analyzed and the proteins in the blood were that of an adult, not a child.”

“Oh, my….God…” Grace gasped. “Barry….”

“But that means…”

“The second speedster, the one trying to stop the man in yellow…”

“Is the Flash. That's me.”

Grace let out a soft sob. “Of course,” she said, her voice thick. “It makes sense.”

“What does, Cricket?”

“Why I was locked in my room that night.” She seen the clueless look on her brother’s face and smiled. “Barry, ever since I was born, what have you always done? That you still try to do even though I’m twenty-three years old?”

Barry gave her a lopsided smile. “Protect you.”

She nodded. “It’s the only one that makes sense out of the two of you. The Reverse-Flash wouldn’t have done it. He wouldn’t have cared enough.” She looked up at her brother. “But you would have. Like always. Without hesitation.”

He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “I always will.” He sighed into her hair. “I love you, Kiddo.”

“Love you too, Big Brother.”

Carter sighed. “So now what? Where do you take the investigation from here, Joe?”

“Um…ask Wells if time travel’s possible.”

“The theory’s possible, but the reality is improbable,” Grace said.

* * *

 

They went to Dr. Wells and talked about the possibility of time travel, but Wells, agreed with Grace. It was possible, but unrealistic. Grace glanced at clock on her phone. “I gotta, um…make an appearance at work. Excuse me.”

“I’ll walk out with you, Gracie,” Carter said.

Barry noticed the way that Grace left the room and then the building. He walked over to Cisco. “Everything okay?”

He shook his head. “No. She won’t listen to me! I think he wants her and she keeps brushing it off like it’s not a problem.”

“Maybe it’s not.”

“And she says I’m acting immature. Who’s acting like a teenager with jealousy and immaturity.”

"Cisco, she's always been more mature than other girls her age. If she says it's getting to her then dial it back a little, because if you don't you'll lose her. She wants to be with you, but if she says, 'you're acting like a teenager', then you probably are. Just dial it back a little. That's all she's asking. You can do that."

* * *

 

While Barry went and talked to Stein, Grace headed back to the Lab to talk to Cisco. She’d been thinking about this all day and she could feel it was the right decision. That they needed this…at least for a little while. She walked into the lab and found him in one of the rooms. “Cisco.”

He turned. “Hey.”

“Hi, We need to talk.” She sighed. “I can’t do this anymore. You’re jealousy is…I want to be with you, but I can’t handle the jealousy.” Her blue eyes began filling with tears. She hated break ups or breaks. “The jealousy is something that I won’t tolerate. Not from you, not from anyone. I can’t.”

His heart thudded in his chest. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying….I think we need to take a break,” she said. “Step away from this and really decide what we both want out of a relationship. Because right now this isn’t working.” She looked at him. “The i-i-m-m-maturity is fun to an extent but it gets to me,” she began to cry. “I feel like your immaturity is a wall so we can't really connect and I need to connect with you. It's not only the woman in me but the Cancer in me. Cancers need an emotional connection to their relationships. And I don't feel that right now. We’re no longer connecting because you’ve seemed to have thrown up this impenetrable wall with jokes, media highlights, sci-fi/fantasy movies. And you won’t tell me why.” She sighed. “And you seem to have found Carter to be a villain when he’s anything but. Carter doesn’t want to fight with you, because he knows how that would hurt me.”

She exhaled deeply. She walked into their room and pulled her suitcases out. She began putting her clothes inside. “You’re jealous and insecure over my best friend, Cisco. You don’t even know him and you’re throwing jabs at him left and right.” She filled and zipped one suitcase and started on the other.

Cisco watched her. His heart aching. Barry was right. “Grace….”

“No, Cisco, don’t try to change my mind on this. I’m going to dad’s for a little while so I can think. Like I said, we both need it. I need it.” She sighed and wiped her tears. “H-H-H-H-He’s been trying to be sociably nice to you until he gets to know you and you’re insulting him.” She pulled her hand through her hair as the tears finally slid down her cheeks to her chin. “The only reason why he’s ignoring them is for me is because I care about you and he doesn’t want to cause a problem between us.” He looked into his dark, now sad eyes. “But he won’t tolerate it forever.”

She finished packing up her stuff and turned to the dark haired man. She walked up to him and kissed him softly on the lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Cisco.”

Cisco couldn’t seem to move to stop her. She looked sad and determined. Like she had really made up her mind and he sighed. He slumped onto the couch and ran his hands over his face. He started to pound the couch, hard.

* * *

 

Grace walked up the steps of the old Craftsman and knocked. She wiped her tears from her face and tried to make it look like she wasn’t crying, but she knew she’d fail. Joe stood from the couch and walked to the door, eyes never leaving the television until he opened the door just as Barry came downstairs.

Joe’s heart literally stopped for a second when he seen the tears and the tear-stained face. “Sweetheart….”

Grace threw herself in Joe’s arms. “Oh, dad!” she sobbed.

“What is it?” he asked.

She sighed. “Cisco and I are….are…” she began to cry again.

“You broke up?” Barry asked trying to help.

She shook her head. “No….a-a-a-a b-b-br-br-br-break!” she cried.

“Oh, honey,” Joe whispered.

“I’m calling Iris,” Barry said.

Whenever Grace had breaks or breakups they all rallied around her to help her through it. And this time wouldn’t be much different.

* * *

 

While out to dinner, the army attacks Ronnie and Caitlin. In an effort to save them, Barry shows up to only have General Eiling fire off pointy projectiles that lodged into his skin. They got him to S.T.A.R. Labs and in one of the beds. Caitlin looked at everyone. “I’m calling Grace.” She looked at Barry. “Okay?”

He groaned. “Mmm. Please.”

About ten minutes later, Grace showed up and rushed to her brother. “Hey, Barry. I’m here.”

“Gracie, it hurts!”

Tears sprang to her eyes again. “I know, I know.” She soothed him. She looked at the spikes. “What are they?”

“Kinetic energy spikes, I think,” Ronnie said.

She nodded. She watched as Caitlin was trying to be careful. “Caitlin, I love you, but you’re too slow.” She waved her fingers at her.

“Barry?”

“Let her do it!” he groaned out.

Grace took the tools from her and she grabbed one and then counted to 3 and pulled, he screamed in pain. “Sorry!”

“Keep going!” he groaned.

She kept going and had half them pulled out in rapid succession. Caitlin winced. “How can you do that without being in pain yourself because you’re hurting him. He’s your brother.”

She nodded. “I know. I was the splinter puller when we were kids. I’m just thinking of these as…” she pulled another, “…as really big splinters.”

She finished pulling the spikes and then Barry and Grace took them back to the house. They walked in and Barry began taking them back to the Iris’ old room. Grace excused herself. “I need to use the restroom.”

Barry sighed. Ronnie looked at him. “Is she going to be okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. She and Cisco are on a break. Long story, but valid one.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Caitlin asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. She’ll be just fine.” He came around the corner and saw Joe coming in.

“We have guests.”

“Yeah, we do. I hope that's okay.”

“Mi casa,” Joe said in response. “Where’s your sister?”

“Bathroom. Probably crying again.”

Caitlin smiled and said to Joe. “This is Ronnie.”

They shook hands. “Nice to meet you.” Then it dawned on him. “Ronnie, the…”

“Dead fiance,” Ronnie supplied.

“Right. Beer?”

Ronnie took it. “Thanks.”

“Dad? Barry?”

“Iris, hi.”

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Uh, it's Tuesday. I was gonna make us dinner, remember?”

“Yep.”

“Yeah.”

“Here, I'll help. Got it.”

“I knew you'd forget. Well, there's plenty for everyone.” She looked at her dad. “I even invited Carter. I figured with what happened he needed to be here.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Caitlin, what brings you by?”

“There's a gas leak in my apartment, so Barry said that we could stay here.”

“Oh, that's sweet of him. And, uh, who's this?”

“This is, uh…”

“Her cousin,” Barry said.

“Sam. Visiting from Coast City.”

“You look really familiar, Sam.”

“Yeah, I... I have... one of those faces. So what's for dinner?”

She told them what was for dinner and then looked at Joe. “Where’s Gracie?”

“Bathroom,” they all said in unison.

Iris nodded, then sighed. “Is this going to be as rough as the others or worse?”

Joe shrugged. “Depends on if they break up or if it’s actually a break.”

“Well, she changed the address, so…” Barry said.

Grace walked out of the bathroom, her eyes red rimmed and Caitlin looked at her. “How are you?”

She shrugged. “I’m okay, I guess.” She exhaled. “It’s a process, but…”

Joe walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Grace cupped his arms and he kissed her temple. “But she’ll be okay. We’re all here, so…”

The doorbell rang and Grace tapped her dad’s arms. She walked to the door and pulled it open. Carter stood there in a jacket, sunglasses and a brown sack in his arms. She smiled. “Hey, Butch.”

He walked into the house and kissed her hair. “Sundance.”

“Butch?” Ronnie laughed. “Why do I have a feeling there’s a story behind that?”

“There is,” Joe said. “Basically, they’ve always gangbustered any problem or situation that they encountered to be able to conquer it together.” He smiled. “It’s worked for twenty years…why fix it?”

“You’re going through emotional…stuff and you don’t call me for reinforcements?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’d gotten used to not relying on you, Carter. You were several thousand miles away.”

He winced. “Ouch, Gracie.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean that.” She hugged him. “You know I’m ecstatic to have you back.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I know.”

“GRACE! I need you!” Iris yelled.

She looked at dad and then walked toward the kitchen, “Why?”

“Where’s the lighter fluid for the long lighter?” she asked from the kitchen.

Grace looked over her shoulder at her dad. “What the hell is she doing in there?” She walked into the kitchen. “Are you making a campfire?”

“No, the burner went out,” Barry said laughing.

“Oh, um…dad, isn’t the lighter fluid for the lighter on the back porch?”

“Yeah,” he said. Iris disappeared outside.

Grace saw everyone walk into the room and she looked at Barry. “Keep an eye out.”

He nodded. She bent forward, holding her hair back. She lightly began blowing and seconds later the flame was burner. “Iris! Never mind. Grace got the lighter working!” Joe called.

“We seriously gotta clue her in,” she muttered. She looked at Carter. “Go outside with me?”

He nodded. She grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped herself in it. He stepped out with her, holding the door open for her. He closed it after and she sat on the railing of the porch. “How are you doing?”

She shrugged. “Okay. I guess.” She exhaled. “I think I’ve talked this whole thing out to the point that I really don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

He nodded. “Okay. We don’t have to.”

She exhaled heavily. “Cart, I didn’t mean you. It’s just this Psycho babble that Iris tries to use and…” she shrugged. “I don’t want to hear the ‘if it’s meant to be’ crap.”

“Oh, damn, there went my first thing to say.”

She laughed. “It was kinda weird sleeping my old bed, in my old room and looking out my window and seeing your house. Or your old house.”

He nodded. “I bet. Did you wish on a star like you used to?”

She shrugged and then saw Carter’s easy smile and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Are you going to try again with Cisco?”

She shrugged. “He’s gonna have to do a lot of changes first. And I’m not even sure--” She exhaled. “You know there are a few things I’ve always wanted in a relationship.”

“Like what?”

“Friendship. I want to know that he’s my best friend. Loyalty and I don’t mean fidelity loyalty, I mean, loyalty. Someone who would always have my back. Someone who could protect me without being overly macho. I mean, I can take care of myself for obvious reasons, but…” She paused. “I want romance. I’m not saying that every night’s gotta be rose petals and candles, but I want him to be able to come up with romantic moments.”

She looked at Carter. “He did one really romantic thing and besides another, in the sixteen months we’ve been together I’m the one that does all that.”

“That sucks,” he said. “But I feel your pain on that one. I had a girlfriend back in New York who refused to do anything like that. I’m the guy I should do it.”

She nodded. “Why can’t the couple share the responsibility to keep the romance alive.” She sighed. Without thinking she said, “And don’t even get me started on sex.”

“We’re going there?”

“Did you not want to?”

He shook his head. “No, go ahead.”

“He was great in bed, but…and this might sound shallow but I didn’t want great. I wanted wow…you know? The type of sex that your emotions are in it, you’re giving it your all. You know the intense, all-encompassing sex. The kind that you’re connecting on all levels, you know?”

He nodded. He knew exactly what she meant, because he wanted that too. “I wouldn’t mind meeting a girl that didn’t mind staying home and chilling with Netflix, you know like we used to do. Wouldn’t mind going up to my parents cabin for the summer and just relaxing.”

She smiled, joy on her face. “You want a girl that could appreciate the small things.”

“Exactly. Those momentary seconds where I’m thinking about you so I bought you a flower or those moments where I buy you your favorite chocolate bar. You know that kinda thing. The last girlfriend I did that with I did it for Valentine’s Day and did those custom made M & Ms and she got really mad.”

Grace couldn’t believe it. “Why’d she flip out?”

“Because it wasn’t diamonds or anything.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She folded her arms over her chest and sighed softly. “I don’t need diamonds or anything extremely expensive or fancy just something that shows me that you…or I mean, the guy cares, you know?” She exhaled. “Although, it’s not like I’ve ever held a man’s attention for longer than a few months. Cisco’s I seemed to have held for a year, so that’s an improvement, but….” she exhaled.

“It’s not entirely the same. You deserve to be cherished, Gracie. To know that to someone out there that you’re the center of their universe just as you make them yours.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’d consider myself lucky to be in the center of someone’s universe the way you make them.”

She looked up at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve always wanted to be with someone who thought of me the way I’d think of them. And now with me having money I seem to be the next eligible bachelor that girls want to nail down.”

She looked into his green eyes and shook her head. “No. Don’t do it, Carter. You deserve someone who will love YOU not how much money is in your bank account. You’re such an amazing guy and I wish some girl would see you the way I’ve always seen you.”

“How that?”

She shook her head to push her flat curls out of her face. “Um…don’t hate me when I use these descriptors but it’s true. You’re sweet, incredibly kind, amazingly generous--you’d give someone you care about anything if they needed it--um, you’re an amazing friend. You’re loyal and will always be there for someone when the going gets tough. You’re funny, romantic and…” she sighed…”just wonderful.” She gave him the smile that she had no idea made his heart and stomach flutter in tandem. “And hopefully some day someone will see what I see because I know for a fact if it was me I don’t think I could let you go if I had you.”

Carter watched and listened to what she was saying and watched as a leaf that was blowing in the breeze clung to her hair. He walked to where she stood at the front of the porch and reached up to gently pull the leaf from her hair. He heard the slight intake of breath and smiled down at her. “Leaf,” he said softly.

She looked into his eyes, her heart racing. She felt the familiar tingle in her body she usually got when she thought or wanted a guy to kiss her and her heart actually skipped a beat. “Tha-thank you,” she stuttered.

“Hey, Gracie--”

Carter jumped back and they both looked at Joe. Joe winced. “Sorry. Um…dinner’s ready. Come on.”

“Thanks, dad. We’ll be right there.” She waited for the door to close and then looked up at Carter. “Let’s go eat and then you can tell me about that project you’ve been wanting my help on.”

He smiled and nodded. “Sounds like a good plan.”

Later that night, Grace and Carter walked back outside, glasses of pinot in their hands and Carter noticed her shiver a little. The sounds of old time Jazz can be heard through the window softly. “Cold?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. Heat and cold doesn’t affect me anymore like it used to.”

“Then what’s with the shiver?”

“I don’t know. A bad feeling maybe.”

“What kind of bad feeling?”

She shrugged. “I don’t get them often. The last time I got one was the night that the particle accelerator exploded but I ignored it.”

“Maybe this time you shouldn’t ignore it.” He sipped his wine and

“I won’t, but I’m going to ignore it for now.” She slid up on the railing and flipped herself around so she could lounge across the railing.

Carter did the same but on the other side of the porch. They both had their backs to the house while looking out at the night.

 

Inside, Caitlin looked out the window and then over at the Barry, Joe and Iris. “She seems very zen. I thought she’d be an emotional wreck.”

Iris shook her head as she swallowed her pinot. “No. I don’t know it’s kinda weird. Carter’s always been her zen point. The one person out of any of us who can just chill her out.”

“He can usually tell what she needs before we do. It’s like they’ve got this psychic connection or something. It’s actually really cool. Just never play charades with them.”

“And I wouldn’t worry about her being a wreck,” Joe added. “She’s been doing it more at night when she’s alone…the whole sleeping alone thing. It’s usually when it hits the worst.”

“If they were so close like that, why didn’t they ever start dating?” Ronnie asked.

Joe, Iris and Barry exchanged a look and Barry answered, “That’s a good question. We’re not entirely sure, but we always thought they would.”

“God knows they’d be an amazing couple,” Iris gushed.

“So, there’s no chance for Cisco and Grace to get back together is there? I mean she says it’s a break, but…”

Barry shrugged. “Don’t know. That depends on Cisco. If he can do what she asked…grow up and stop being so jealous then it’s a possibility, if not then…”

Joe heard the song that began playing and put his finger to his mouth as Grace began singing to the music.

 

__I want a little something more_ _

__Don't want the middle or the one before_ _

__I don't desire a complicated past_ _

__I want a love that will last_ _

__Say that you love me_ _

__Say I'm the one_ _

__Don't kiss and hug me and then try to run_ _

__I don't do drama_ _

__My tears don't fall fast_ _

__I want a love that will last_ _

__I don't want just a memory_ _

__Give me forever_ _

__Don't even think about saying good-bye_ _

__'cause i want just one love to be enough_ _

__And remain in my heart till i die_ _

__So call me romantic_ _

__Oh i guess that must be so_ _

__there's something more that you oughta know_ _

__I'll never leave you_ _

__So don't even ask_ _

__I want a love that will last_ _

__Forever_ _

__I want a love that will last_ _

__I want a love that will last_ _

 

Caitlin sighed. “Wow…”

Barry nodded. “She’s always had an amazing voice.”

Joe smirked as he turned it up a little. “And Carter could listen to her forever.”

Caitlin sighed. “Okay, you’re gonna make me want them together. Stop it or I’ll start feeling bad for Cisco.”

About 20 minutes later, Grace and Carter were still outside talking, Joe headed up to get relax and get ready for bed, while Caitlin and Ronnie went to their room for the night. Iris and Barry stayed up and began cleaning the kitchen and the dishes. Iris stood at the fridge, which she had just closed putting away extras and asked Barry, “Do you think Grace would go back to Cisco?”

He shrugged and then shook his head. “I don’t think so. He’s not going to mature over night and I don’t think Grace will wait that long. You heard the way she sang that song…she’s always believed that love could last a lifetime.”

“Don’t you?”

He nodded and looked into her dark eyes. “With the right person, yes.”

Ignoring the way that she knew Barry intended that to sound she said, “Do you think Carter and Grace could?”

He stopped drying the wine glasses and thought about it for a few. “Yeah. I really do. I think if Grace lets herself she’ll realize that the love that’s been looking for this entire time was right in front of her. All she had to do was see it.”

“Hey, I’m heading to bed. See you tomorrow. I won’t be here for breakfast. Meeting Carter early tomorrow to talk about one of his projects,” Grace announced coming into the house before heading to her room.

“Okay,” Barry called after. “Good night, Kiddo.”

“Good night. Night, Iris. Love you, guys.”

“Love you,” they called in unison.

* * *

 

The next morning, Iris was walking through the offices of CCPN and stopped when Mason Bridge caught up to her, showing her a picture. “You said you knew some of the leftover scientists at the S.T.A.R. Lab.”

“Yeah. My sister was dating one of them.”

“What about a Caitlin Snow, M.D. You know her?”

“Yeah, I know her, why?”

“There was an incident at a local coffee shop. She was there.”

“That's Jitters. I used to work there. Is there anything you can't do?”

“Gimme this.”

“Witnesses swear they saw soldiers shooting the place up, so I contacted the Army's media relations division and asked, “Are soldiers permitted to operate like that on U.S. soil?” You know what they told me? Hooah.”

“That's weird, Caitlin didn't mention anything the last time I saw her.”

“Really?”

“When and where was that?”

“Yeah, I mean, I'm sure there's an explanation for all of this.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and sped dialed Grace. “And I’m going to ask my sister.”

* * *

 

Grace headed for Jitters, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and looked at the caller ID and then answered, “Hey, dad. What’s up?”

“It’s just you and me, Kiddo.”

“You and me for what?”

“To investigate into Wells. Cisco doesn’t think he did it and neither does Barry. So, it’s up to us.”

“And Carter,” she said. “He said earlier this morning that he’d help if you wanted him to.”

“Good. We could use his hackable skills maybe.”

She laughed. “Okay, dad. I’m going to get a large black coffee and head into work. If you need me, call me.”

“I will, Sweetheart. Thank you.”

She smiled. “Anytime. You’re my dad. And you believed me about the way Wells was treating Barry.” Her phone beeped with another call as she hung up. She answered again, “Hey, Iris, what’s up?”

“Do you have any idea as to why Caitlin would be at Jitters around the time that the Army shot the place up?”

“Um…no. I knew of an incident, but what Caitlin does on her personal time is no one’s business, Iris.” She tried to sound nonchalant as she said, “Why do you wanna know?”

“Would you tell me even if you were still with--”

She hung up and walked into the building. She slowed when she seen Mason Bridge standing there. “I should have known.” She folded her arms in front of her and looked Mason up and down and then looked at Iris. “I thought you’d have better taste on whom to take after in the journalism field, Iris.” She started heading for the Art Department doors.

Iris chased after her and said, “One could say the same for you, Grace.”

She turned once she got to her office door. “One, lose the big sister tone with me, Iris. It’s not going to work. Two, whom I’m friends with is none of your business. And third, Caitlin’s my friend and you’d be best to remember what happens when you attack my friends.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m family.”

“If you were family you’d take the answer I gave you. I don’t know anything!” she screamed. “Happy?”

Iris looked into her eyes and realized she was tearing up. “Oh, Grace, I’m--”

“No!” she said through her tears. “Just leave me alone.” She turned to her office and walked in, shutting the door behind her.

Iris sighed and pulled her phone out. “Hey, Carter, it’s Iris. I did something stupid. You wouldn’t by any chance be willing to console Grace after I made her cry would you?” She paused. “I pushed on a subject and now she’s crying.” She shook her head and said, “No, I didn’t talk about Cisco per se, I just pushed about something and she’s now bawling in her office.” She smiled. “Thanks, Cart. You’re the best.”

* * *

 

Grace walked into S.T.A.R. Labs and stood next to Ronnie. “We need to…” she noticed the worried expressions and the intense vibe. “What’s going on?”

“Stein’s been taken by General Eiling.”

She glared. “Have I ever mentioned I **_**_really_**_** hate that guy?”

Barry fought a smirk. “A couple of times.”

“Where do you think Eiling took Professor Stein?”

“I imagine some off-the-books military research facility.”

“We have to get him back,” Barry urged.

“Easy... Eiling has already demonstrated he has the weaponry to disable The Flash, or worse.”

“Well, we can't let him turn Stein into a weapon,” Caitlin said.

“I agree with Caitlin.” 3 sets of eyes looked at her and she laughed. “Come on we knew it was coming.” She looked at everyone. “If Eiling gets a hold of Firestorm the military will have Super Soldiers. That’s not a good thing. This City would be under siege if Eiling saw fit. Just like in Starling last year with Slade Wilson and those Mirakuru soldiers.”

“Mirakuru…what?” Ronnie asked.

“The Japanese developed a bio-weapon back in either World War I or II can’t remember….anyway, this bioweapon if ingested gave the recepient super-human strength and everything. Caitlin and Cisco came up with the antidote so that the Arrow and his daughter, Sparrow could put an end to it.” Grace sighed. “There is one more thing.”

“What?” Barry asked her.

“Well, um…” she glanced at Cisco. She wasn’t afraid to say anything, she was weary, but not afraid. She looked at Barry.

Barry knew what she was weary of. Starting another fight. So, he said, “Wait, wasn’t Carter always the one hacking into complex systems when we were growing up?”

“Hacking?” Caitlin was shocked. “Barry, hacking can get us into a world of hurt.”

“Not if you know someone who has the highest military clearance a civilian can have.”

“How did he get that?” Ronnie asked.

“He built the computer system that the military uses and the security system. I actually helped him with the computer system. I coded it, he did the rest.” She shook her head. “Anyway, um…since he has to do periodic checks he can hack into their system without getting into trouble.”

Barry smiled. “Call him. Ask him to get his butt down here. If he’s not working.”

“Carter doesn’t work,” she said absently as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

“What do you mean?” Caitlin asked. “Everyone works.”

“Well, he works, just not an everyday nine to five job.” She brought the phone to her mouth, “Hey, it’s me. Are you busy right now?” There was a pause. “Great. Do you think you can come to the lab and hack into the military’s system for us.” She paused again. “Well, Professor Stein was kidnapped by General Eiling--” She paused abruptly that time. “Okay, bye.”

Cisco looked up at her, fighting a snicker. “Let me guess, he told you no?”

“Actually….no. He told me he’d be here in about fifteen minutes.” She smiled at her brother. “He doesn’t particularly like Eiling either.”

He laughed. Ronnie looked at Wells. “Okay, besides, Mr. Hackable, how do we find him?”

They all looked in his direction. He was immediately weary. “What?”

Grace smiled. “Well, funny you should ask that, Mr. Raymond.”

“What…?” he asked a little afraid.

“Because the best way to find him is through you,” she told him.

* * *

 

Ronnie got hooked up to the electrodes and everything to read his internal and brain activity. After a few minutes, Caitlin said, “No abnormal brain activity. All vitals steady.”

“You really think Ronnie can somehow feel where they're keeping Stein?”

“There’s no reason why not,” Grace said.

“Ronnie got dizzy when the soldiers grabbed Stein, and Stein developed Ronnie's obsession with pizza.”

“And being that mentally connected for so long it wouldn’t surprise me if those effects are permanent.”

“Hey! Where is everyone?”

“We’re back here, Cart!”

Carter walked into the room and furrowed his brow slightly. “You sick?”

He shook his head. “They think I might be able to feel Stein. I don't feel anything right now.”

“Just keep trying,” Caitlin encouraged.

“Whatever this is, it doesn't have an on and off switch,” Ronnie said getting a little frustrated.

“It's possible it's just some kind of residual connection. A temporary link to your time together.”

Grace turned to Carter. “What do you need?”

“What?” he asked.

“What do you need? To do your hacking thing, do you need anything from me?”

“Oh! Um…coffee, my Eminem mix disc.”

She nodded. “Doable, where’s the disk?”

“In my bag,” he said and walked to a computer.

She grabbed his bag and put it in a chair next to him. She walked away and grabbed his coffee. Cisco stopped her. “Are you guys together?”

“We’re hanging out together,” she told him. “But we’re not romantic…”

“Yet?” Cisco said. “Is that what you were going to say?”

She sighed. “No.”

“This break is a break up, isn’t it?”

She didn’t answer. “Coffee and headphones.”

Carter smiled. “Thanks, Gracie, you’re the best.”

She smiled back. “Good luck. If you need anything I’ll be in there with them.”

He nodded. She walked into the room where everyone was and Ronnie began feeling something. “Wait. I feel something. I'm... I'm cold.”

Grace wrote that down, with still in Central City and a question mark. As they waited for another clue or something, Ronnie suddenly bucked up in pain. “Oh, God.”

“You're okay, man, we got you,” Cisco said.

“What's happening to him?”

“Nothing's happening to him. It's happening to Stein, and Ronnie is feeling his pain. I was wrong. The connection's not temporary. It's only getting stronger,” Wells said.

“Just try and hold on,” Caitlin told him.

“Water. Water,” Ronnie begged.

Cisco handed him the water and he began cutting into his arm. “Ronnie! No stop!”

“No, Caitlin,” the Allen siblings said in unison.

“He's cutting himself,” Caitlin replied.

“I know. Let him,” Barry told her.

Grace looked at her. “You have to trust us, please?”

She stopped trying to stop him. They waited for a response to the word ‘where’ on their arms. “Nothing. Nothing, just...just cold. Like a metal surface. Pressure on and on and off. Tap, tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap, tap, tap.”

“Wait a second!” Grace exclaimed. “That’s not just taps.”

“It’s Morse Code,” Carter told him. “Repeat it. If you can give me the number I can tell you where Eiling is.”

“Really?” Caitlin said.

“Yeah, I’m already in the system. I just need the location.”

“Army bases sometimes go by numbers, like Area 51.”

Carter smiled. “Right. And now I know the number. I can fuck with Eiling.” He looked at Barry and Grace. “Get dressed I’ll have the location when you’re finished.”

Barry looked at Grace and then Carter. “Carter.”

He turned, “Yeah?”

“Your techno thing can it work on things that Eiling built?”

“Probably, since the decoder thing they tried using on me malfunctioned as they ran it over me, why?”

Barry slid his eyes to Grace. She nodded. He smiled. “Because you’re coming with us.” He grabbed his friend and walked into the changing room, telling him about the spikes the whole way in.

* * *

 

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” Carter told them as they walked out of the changing room. He looked at Grace. “What are you wearing?”

“My Superhero Suit,” she replied. “Don’t like it?”

He glanced at her once again and then shook his head. “No. You look amazing.”

“I’ve always commented on her legs in it,” Cisco said.

He laughed. “Well, those have always been amazing.” He took a breath. “All right. If we’re going to do this…let’s go.”

“All right, I got Ronnie. Carter you’re with Grace.”

Carter nodded. She smiled. “Remember, relax.”

He nodded again. “I remember.”

Carter and Grace went outside, Cisco went with them. She looked at Carter. “Put your arms around me.”

Carter did as she told him and she pushed off with her feet and they shot up in the air. She then put an arm in front of her and propelled forward at a super high speed. After a few seconds, she asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m great. This is amazing!” he said, laughing.

“Yeah. I do this sometimes when I need to think. It clears my head.” She looked down. “There’s the base. Okay, for the landing, you need to let me let us down easily okay. Once you feel the ground with your feet then you can let go.”

“Got it.”

They landed, it was rough and she stumbled into him. He caught her and steadied them both. “Yeah, we need to work on the landing.”

He laughed. “Yeah.”

“Stein's inside. I can feel our connection growing stronger, like he's pulling me.”

“It's as I feared…” Wells said through their earpieces, “…the Firestorm matrix is building toward a proximity reemergence. Like all matter, it yearns to be whole. If you do merge... we might not be able to separate you again.”

Carter looked at Barry and Grace, then Ronnie. “Hey, this is your decision, but if you’re connected this much and he dies, I’m afraid you may die too, Ronnie. And as much as I would hate for you and Caitlin to be separated again, you have to ask yourself if being forever merged versus dying….”

Ronnie nodded. He stopped. “Eiling’s got a gun to Stein’s head. He’s about to pull the trigger!”

“Barry,” Grace said.

He sped off and got Stein out of there. Grace stood still and then moved in front of them. “We may have gotten him out, but we’re not going anywhere yet.”

“What?”

“Military trucks,” Carter said. He looked at Barry. “Do you trust me?”

Barry gave him a look and Carter laughed. “Let them fire at you, but if you trust me don’t touch it.”

He nodded. “What are you going to do?”

“You’ll see.”

“They’re getting closer.”

The military truck pulled up and a guy came up from the top, large gun in his hands. The man fired it and a triangular type piece came out of it, going right for Barry. Carter ran and stood in front of the projectile. He grabbed it with his hands and it immediately short-circuited. Carter looked at the men. “If you really want to take the Flash down, you’re gonna have to use something better than, Guys.”

Some of the chemical from it got on him however and he started to burn. Grace looked at her brother. “I can’t use my water here. There is none…but…we could create a tornado like we did that first night.”

Barry nodded. “Let’s do it.”

She smiled. “However, instead of me going around with you, I’m going to talk to the winds.”

He nodded. “Do whatever.”

She went into the sky and they watched from where they were. She shook her hair out of her way and then looked up at the sky. Just as she did that the wind began picking up. She looked down at her brother. “Go. I’m right behind you!”

He nodded. He went to the field and started running faster and faster in a circle. She flew to where her brother was, the winds coming with her and she levitated in about the middle of his circle. Carter watched in amazement as the siblings actually created a tornado.

While the siblings had things under control, Carter went to check on Professor Stein and Ronnie. When he found them he saw Eiling about to shoot them. He closed his eyes and whispered, “Grandpa, let’s hope what you taught me is still fresh.” He walked up to the man and clumsily disarmed him. He took the man’s gun and sighed. “Well, that went better than I predicted, but it could have been better.”

Barry walked toward him. “That’s okay. I know a very smart and strong teenager who would be willing to help you if you would like.”

Grace landed on Carter’s other side. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind a refresher lesson from the Sparrow again.”

Barry looked at Ronnie, Carter and Grace. “Let’s go home.”

Grace nodded. “Please. I need a very hot and long bubble bath.” She looked at her brother as she levitated. “You think dad would let take a long bath?”

He laughed. “Probably.”

She landed softly and then looked at Carter. “Hold me or my hand?”

“Hand,” he said. “I wanna look while we fly.”

She nodded. “Good. It’s amazing. Come on.”

* * *

Grace walked out of the changing room in the same outfit she had on when she changed into her suit. She fixed the button down as she walked out. She seen Carter waiting for her. “Hey. I thought you were going home.”

“I was, but then…” he exhaled. “Gracie, I need to tell you something.”

“What?”

“After watching Ronnie and Caitlin earlier, I know I can’t keep this in…any longer.”

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Okay.”

He began wringing his hands. Grace watched him and watched as he nervously paced. She walked to him and she stopped him. “Just say it.”

He took a breath. “I’m…I’m…I’m in love with you,” he blurted out.

She froze and looked up at him. Her nose almost immediately ticked with the onset tears. Her heart hammering hard in her chest. He’d finally said what she’d been wanting to hear and now… She exhaled. “Oh, Carter…”

He felt the ache in his chest and knew what was coming. “I know. Worst timing in the world,” he said his voice quivering with emotion, “but I didn’t want to wait anymore. Barry waited forever to tell Iris and….”

She smiled, stopping him with a touch of her hand on his hands. “Carter, I do like you. And I have feelings for you...Very deep feelings for you. And I think I could fall for you VERY VERY VERY hard. I think I always will, but I can't....I've got to see me and Cisco through. I'm sorry."

His heart shattered then and there and Grace looked up into his eyes. She saw the pain there immediately and her own heart broke. “I’m sorry.”

He shakes head. “No,” he whispered. “It’s okay.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her ever so gently.

The kiss was so soft it actually made her ache and not in a sexual way. She returned it just as gently. She knew what this kiss was. The ‘we were too late’ kiss. He was telling her he was stepping back to let her be happy. She’d been waiting for him to say those words and for him to be kissing her right now and here it was…

She began to sob a little as he lingered on her lips. She cupped her hands at his wrists and began to cry as he pressed his forehead into hers. He gently let her go and turned to walk away.

From the hall, Barry saw the whole thing. His heart broke for both of them. They’d both been waiting for this and it had happened, just not the way they wanted. He hurried to her. He took her in his arms before she fell to the floor. "Why.…” she sobbed. “The… last thing I'd want… to do, Barry, is hurt him. He's my rock...or was my rock. He's probably never going to talk to me again."

“I know, Kiddo.” He held her as she cried. “And he will talk to you again. Just give him time, Gracie.”

She nodded.


	25. Starling City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace is still trying to figure things out, but subconsciously does she already have them figured out?
> 
> Carter and Grace head to Starling City for valid reasons. The League Assassins attack Lexy Queen while they're there.
> 
> Carter strikes up a deal with Ray Palmer that is mutually beneficial for both...and Grace too.

**-A Week Later….**

A week ago Grace Allen had everything. A boyfriend who loved her. And her best friend back in her life. One of those things she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted anymore. She’d never been this stuck before. For a brief moment she had….him. She had him telling her what she wanted to hear for so long.

Then there was Cisco. She loved him, but she knew he couldn’t grow up and become a mature person over night, but did she want to wait for him? She wasn’t entirely sure. She kinda felt torn between moving and staying because he had waited for her to be ready to date and now…. she groaned. She picked up her coffee and walked out to the living room. She was the only one home. She had decided to take a personal day and figure things out. She wasn’t entirely sure she could think of it in a day, but she was going to try.

She walked out to the living room, flipped on the iPod dock and walked out as the upbeat chords to a boyband’s song began playing. She walked out into the cool end of February morning and sighed as she looked out into the neighborhood. She slid up on to the railing and put her back to the house. She laid her head back and sighed.

She did know one thing she wanted more than anything. Carter. She needed him in her life. She felt more complete with him in her life. Like she could be herself. Not that Cisco didn’t want that, but it was different when someone knew the real you because he’s known you forever. She exhaled and closed her eyes again. In those seconds the heartbreaking kiss that they shared last week played in her head and she felt like crying again.

“Didn’t sleep well, Cricket?”

She froze, her eyes still closed. He was here! He was actually here! Unless she was going crazy. She slowly opened her eyes and her heart literally skipped a beat at the sight of him. “Carter!”

He smiled as she straightened. “Hey, Beautiful.”

“Hi, I…I…I thought…” she sighed.

“I know. I just needed some time to think.”

She sighed. Here it comes. The future of her friendship with was on the edge. “And…?”

“And I’ve decided that despite my really awful timing that we’ve been friends for way too long to let it ruin our friendship.”

She sighed in relief. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yes, really.”

She pulled him into a hug. “Oh! God! I thought I lost you.”

He hugged her tighter. “You kidding. It’s going to take more than a rejection to drive me away, Gracie.”

“Good.” She sighed. “So….what are you doing today?”

“Depends, whatcha thinkin’?”

“How do you feel about road trips?”

He laughed. “As long as we don’t end up in Opal City again I’m good with anything.”

She shook her head, laughing. She remembered that road trip ALL too well. “Starling City?”

He nodded. “Sounds good, but why?”

“Well, I, uh…have a training session with a friend and I promised her I’d meet her this time.”

He nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

“Let me pack some clothes for a few days.”

He nodded. He watched as she hopped off the railing and headed inside. “Then we can take the jet.”

She halted almost immediately. “The…the what?”

“The jet. I bought a jet.”

She stopped and looked up at him. “How does one decide to buy one?”

“When they’re tired of public airports,” he admitted. “I hate security.”

She laughed. “Curiously, how much are you worth now?”

“Um…three billion….at last count anyway,” he admitted.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes bulged. “Holy crap!”

He took a breath and released. “Do you see me differently now?”

She gasped, appalled by the thought. “Of course not.” She slapped at his arm. “No, I don’t care if you’re rich or poor. You’re still just Carter to me.”

“Good.”

She held the door open and he walked in with her and she said, “I’ll head upstairs and pack real quick.”

“I’ll go to my house and pack too and then I’ll pick you up when I’m finished.”

She nodded. “Sounds good.”

**-Starling City……**

 

Lexy lounged on the U-shaped couch at the condo that her parents had shared. She knew they were one step closer to getting back together. In fact, dad had just left to go have lunch with her at her office. So, she was sitting in the condo, enjoying the with Bella sleeping on Lexy’s belly. Her phone buzzed above her head on the end table and she reached for it. She looked at the caller ID display and smiled. It was Nick. They had planned to have lunch together and he was downstairs waiting to be okayed. She texted him back and told him to head on up.

Just as she put the phone down on the end table, it buzzed again. She looked at the message and smiled. She texted Grace back and told her to head on up too. There was a knock at the door and Lexy rushed to the door. She opened it to see Nick. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He took her mouth almost instantly in a mind-blowing kiss.

Grace and Carter got off the elevator and headed toward the condo and Grace slowed. She smiled as she watched the young couple passionately kissing. “Well, this is quite the development.”

They came apart slowly and Lexy smiled, a slight pink hue to her cheeks in embarrassment. She looked at both of them and her jaw slacked. “Dr. Stephens?”

Carter looked at her questionably. “Do I know you?”

She shook her head. “No. Um…I was at one of your lectures at Starling City University with my boyfriend.”

“Oh. Nice to meet you,” he said and shook her hand. “Call me Carter.”

“I’m Lexy Queen. This is my boyfriend, Nick Jordan.” Her eyes went to Grace. “You never told me that your childhood best friend was Dr. Carter Stephens.”

She laughed. “That’s because I don’t see him as the prodigy or the doctor or even the rich dude that everyone else does. To me he’s Carter. The kid that grew up across the street from me.”

Lexy was getting kind of a weird vibe. Like maybe there was something possibly happening or going to happen between Carter and Grace. She smiled. “Well, come on in. I just ordered food and I was waiting for Nick, but I always order more than needed. So…you’re welcome to join us.”

As they came into view in one of the large floor to ceiling windows, the windows shattered and men dressed in head to toe black came inside. She quickly ran to the utility room and put Bella into the room. She ran, jumped and flipped over one of them, landing between a threesome of league assassins. She counting the guys and then looked at Carter, Grace and Nick. “Pick a guy and I’ll get the rest.”

“Are you nuts?!” Carter said never turning his back on them. “There’s like twelve of them, Lexy.”

She ducked the elbow from one, then the kick for another and did a hard kick to his knee, taking him out immediately. She then twisted his neck, killing him instantly. She jumped onto the coffee table to avoid the blade from another and grabbed the man’s wrist. She held him down and looked around at the others. She twisted his arm and slammed him to the floor.

* * *

 

Oliver and Felicity walked off the elevator hand in hand, with Nathan and Jennifer following close behind. As they got closer to the large metal door that was the entrance to their apartment they heard the shot that rang out. Nathan and Oliver went in first.

Oliver stopped when he seen Nick standing in shooting pose, holding another assassin at gunpoint, then shot. He looked around, didn’t flinch when one of the assassins slammed into the wall from Grace telekinetic sending him there. He looked through the apartment for his daughter and found her picking another arrow and shooting it.

Lexy saw her dad and threw him the bow. She pulled her batons from the floor and started swinging them. She looked at everyone in the room and yelled, “Nick! Your mom!” She threw her assailant to the ground.

He turned and began shooting. Nathan watched as son got snuck up on and Nick easily got out of the hold and then shot him in the chest. Oliver fought and shot his arrows, while Lexy used her batons. Her last one she was fighting, knocked her baton out of her hand and so she picked up one of the discarded arrows and spun, stabbing the assassin in the chest.

When he was down and there wasn’t anymore, she was exhausted and out of breath and collapsed to her knees. Carter looked at everyone. “Everyone okay?”

“Yeah,” Oliver said after a few seconds. He looked at Grace. “Who’s your friend?”

“Carter Stephens, Oliver Queen--the Arrow.”

Carter smiled when he seen the look on Oliver’s face. “Don’t worry about it.” He panted. “What are we going to do with them?”

Jennifer looked at Lexy. “Is she okay?”

Nick nodded. “She exhausted. She took on most of them herself.” He walked to the utility room when he heard Bella crying. He picked her up. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. I gotcha.”

“Lex, pick him up,” Oliver ordered.

She pulled the assassin Oliver pointed out and threw him into a chair. She panted. Oliver walked toward him, putting a knife to his throat. “You dare to enter my home…tell me why you’re here?”

The assassin didn’t say anything as he lifted his eyes to Oliver. He gave them a mischievous smirk and dropped a little vial to the floor. Seconds later, he fell to the floor. “Sonofabitch!” Oliver exclaimed.

Carter sighed. “Who are they?”

“League of Assassins,” Lexy answered. “Think he’s trying to tell us something.”

Nathan walked to his friend. “I’d say it’s a message of your never safe from the league.”

Oliver nodded. “Exactly.”

Nick looked at Oliver. “So, what now?”

“Now, you reload that thing, put the safety on and put it back where you got it.” Nick nodded. “And Nick?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Nice shooting,” he said smiling.

“Thanks. I may not be able to fight like you yet, but I can shoot.”

Seconds later, the rest of the team came in, Roy had his bow drawn as soon as he entered. John relaxed. “What happened?”

“How’d you know?” Nathan asked.

“I installed a panic button,” Nick explained. “It was actually for Felicity more than anything. It sets something off in our phones.”

“I hit it,” Lexy said and knelt down and checked the assassin’s pulse. “Dang it.”

“Dead?” Roy asked.

She nodded. “He took that cyanide bottle like Chase.”

John looked around at the carnage. “Did you do this?” he asked Oliver.

He shook his head. “Nope.”

Grace walked over. “That was mostly Nick and Lexy. Carter and I took those four, but the rest were Lexy…and Nick.”

She sighed. “Chinese food sounded fun….” she said looking in the bag.

“Not hungry?” Nick asked put his arms around her waist.

She shook her head. “No.” She exhaled. “Dad, what the heck….?”

“I know, Sweetheart.”

Felicity looked around. “What am I going to do about the window?”

Grace smiled. “Don’t worry about the window. Carter Stephens, Oliver Queen, Felicity, Smoak, John Diggle, Roy Harper and Laurel Lance.” She looked at Oliver and the team. “Do they know about you?”

He nodded. “Jen, close the door, please.”

She nodded and closed the door. Grace crouched down and picked up a piece of glass. She stared at it for a second and then placed it on the ground. She picked up a bigger piece and held up to the window frame. “Hey, Einstein, come here, please?”

Roy chuckled. “What did you do to annoy her?”

He shook his head. “She’s not annoyed. She’s always called me that.”

“He used to call out the answers to the questions before the teacher even finished the question.” She looked at him then at her hands. “See how I’m holding this?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Hold it just like that and please hold it still.”

He took it and held it the way she had it. She pressed her hand to the glass and her hand began emitting a grayish-white glow. After a few seconds she spread her hands out and the glass began to form. Once she had most of it formed she levitated and heard someone gasp behind her.

“How are you doing that?”

She looked over her shoulder at the pretty brunette that was Nick’s mom. “Don’t you gotta keep you attention on it?” Nick asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve got a telekinetic lock on it.” She looked down at Carter, “Okay, babe, walk with me.” She started slowly gliding over to the window.

“Babe?” Roy and Lexy said in unison.

“What?” Grace asked a little confused.

“You called him ‘Babe’,” Lexy pointed out.

“Did I?” She looked down at him and he nodded. “Oh.”

"I thought you were with Cisco?"

She replies, "It's complicated right now."

Felicity looked at Grace and whispered, "Him?" pointing at Carter from behind her hand.

Grace shakes her head, "No...it's...." she looks around. They were her friends right? "I discovered that my boyfriend is immature. And he's jealous of a guy I grew up with. Which I told him that I had men in my life, that he wasn't going to be the only one. But to answer your question, yes, Carter sparked the jealousy more than others. And we're currently on a break."

Laurel nodded. "Been there."

Oliver laughed and rolled his eyes. "I WAS a teenager."

Laurel smiled, "With a daughter."

"But you didn't know that." Oliver looked at Grace. "Are you breaking up?"

Carter shook his head. "Not if I can help. When we get back I'm going to help her out by bringing the three of us together and hopefully he'll realize I'm not a threat."

Roy shook his head. "Won't work. Not really."

"Yes, it will," Nick said. "It worked with me, with you."

Grace didn’t say anything as she finished the window. There was nothing to say. But there was a lot to think about.

* * *

 

The next morning, Carter walked into Palmer Technologies and approached the reception desk. “Good morning. I’d like to see Dr. Palmer, please.”

“Is he expecting you?”

He shook his head. “No ma’am. If you would tell him it’s Dr. Carter Stephens?”

She nodded. She dialed up to Ray’s office. “Sir, there’s a Dr. Carter Stephens here who would like a few--oh, yes, sir.” She hung up before saying anything. “He will see you.”

She directed him to his office and Carter walked onto the elevator. He pressed the button for Ray’s floor and waited. The doors opened on his floor and he walked toward his office. They greeted each other like normal businessmen and then Ray asked, “What can I do for you?”

“I’m here to talk to you about nano-tech. Do you think you could give me a few minutes of your time. I believe my partner and I have something that could benefit both of us.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, my partner, she’s a software developer. She um….developed this software that adapts to you the person. I have concept drawings for a suit I’m making in Central City.” Carter began explaining the artificial intelligence program that Grace had developed their senior year in high school. He finished by saying, “I feel that Grace’s software can benefit us both and we’re willing to share, on one condition.”

Ray had to admit he was intrigued. “What’s that?”

“You help me build my suit and I’ll help you with yours. There’s word you’re trying to figure out how to shrink things and bring them bigger. So, let me help you and you help me and we’ll call it even. After a few minor things to get it to adapt to you there shouldn’t be a problem software wise. Grace is very thorough when it comes to her invention.”

“Grace?”

“My best friend and partner. She developed the software. She dabbles in science now, but that’s because she chose a different career path. I told her if I was to ever sell her program that she’d get full credit in development and we’d split the profit.”

Ray knew what else too. “Besides your partner, you wanna be more don't you?"

Carter nodded, "Maybe, but she's got someone. I was too late." He cleared his throat, "Shall we discuss terms?"


	26. Out of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry and Grace's romantic lives are still complicated.
> 
> Clyde Mardon's brother, Mark wants revenge for his brother's death and he has targeted everyone closest to Joe to do it.
> 
> The Flash and Gaia meet their toughest foe yet....the Weather Wizard...AKA Mark Mardon.

Grace lounged in Carter’s family room watching one of their favorite movies. She looked over and smiled when she seen him sleeping and heard him softly snoring away. God, he looked hot even sleeping. “How could you have gotten even hotter after three years?”

She grabbed the throw on the back of the couch and gently laid it over him. Her cell phone buzzed on the coffee table and she looked at it. She sighed. “Just one night is all I’ve ever asked.” She sighed. She grabbed one of his legal pads he kept around to jot down ideas for new stuff and quickly wrote him a note. She then walked out the front door and quickly changed at the Lab and then took off again.

She caught up to her brother when he stopped at the 4-way stop in town. She tapped her chest. “Hey, Big Brother, you okay?”

“Yeah. Where are you?”

“Look up.”

He looked up and she waved. He smiled. “I need to talk to you later.”

“Yeah, me too,” she said. She smiled as she said, “Race ya there,” then she jet-propelled into the air.

He chuckled and took off in a boom. He beat her….as always. She landed gracefully onto the pavement and they both cautiously walked inside. She saw the coroner first. She walked to him, her boots lightly clicking on the floor. She saw the liquid on the floor and with her gloved hand she started to touch it.

“Grace, don’t!” he exclaimed.

She looked over shoulder. “Would you relax?” She touched the liquid and then brought it to her nose. “It’s water. Melted ice to be exact.”

“Melted ice?” Cisco asked through her comm.

“Yeah. There’s still a piece of it melting next to his hand.” She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “What now?”

“I’m calling Joe. You’re going to get out of here.”

She nodded. “Right. The whole Grace Allen wouldn’t be at crime scene thing. Okay.” She kissed his cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you, Kiddo.”

“She’s talking to you?” Cisco asked.

“Yeah. I’m her brother. She can’t go longer than a day…maybe not talking to me.”

Cisco sighed. Barry exhaled. “Look, man. She’s processing. She’s more in her head than she usually is. Just give her more time.”

He nodded but said, “I know. But I feel like she’s avoiding me.”

“I don’t know. I gotta call Joe.”

* * *

 

Carter woke up on the couch in his family room. Netflix was beginning for him to decide if he was done watching and there was no Grace. However, she had to be there long enough to put the blanket on him. He pushed it off and sat up. “Gracie?”

No answer. “Cricket?” Still no answer.

He saw the pad of paper on the coffee table and picked it up.

_Hey, Einstein,_

_I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see you. Had to go fight crime. See you sometime tomorrow?_

_Love, Cricket_

He smiled. He knew exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

 

“Please tell me you still like glazed donuts.”

Grace looked up from the contact sheet she was inspecting and smiled when she saw Carter standing, looking very tall, in her office doorway. She put the marker down and the eyeglass. “They are still one of my favorite things in the world.”

She looked even more beautiful today than ever. Very sophisticated. Her dark hair was pulled up into an intricate updo, she wore a sunshine yellow blazer over a black dress. His heart began to beat more rapidly. “You look beautiful.” His heart somersaulted when he seen the pure happiness in those blue eyes of hers.

“Thank you,” she said softly, blushing a little. She looked him up and down and her stomach somersaulted and her heart fluttered wildly. He looked hot in his casual clothes. A green button down shirt and a pair of tight fitting black jeans. “Very casual chic, Stephens.”

He smiled and sat down in the chair across from her. He put the bag of donuts on her desk, long with the 2-cup carrier. She moved aside what she was working on and opened the pastry bag. She pulled one out. “How did you know I hadn’t ate breakfast?”

He shrugged. “Because I hadn’t and you did leave my house awfully quickly last night.”

She winced. “Yeah, sorry about that. Couldn’t be helped.”

“I know,” he said. “I needed to talk to you about something.”

She nodded, her mouth full of donut. She laughed silently. “Sorry,” she said around the donut.

He laughed. God, she was so cute. He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you remember that AI program you made?”

She nodded. “Gideon,” she replied simply. “What about her?”

“Well….um…do you remember on the plane when I was telling you about the suit I was creating and I went to Starling with you to talk to a Scientist?”

She nodded and popped another piece of the donut into her mouth. “What about him?”

“Ray Palmer.”

“He’s an expert in nano-technology, right?”

He nodded. “Right. I was thinking with my….abilities…I was hoping that maybe the suit could be…built…under my skin.”

“Under your skin?”

He nodded. “That way I could just like think it and it’d wrap around me.” He sighed. “It’s hard to explain. I have it better drawn up on the presentation I showed Ray.”

She nodded. “What’s this got to do with Gideon?”

“Well, I thought since rumor had it that Ray was building his own super-suit that he wouldn’t mind helping me. I offered up Gideon for both of us. We’d tailor it to his needs and tailor it to mine…obviously.”

She nodded. “Oh, that’s sounds doable.”

He smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that, because he agreed and gave me this.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and gave it to her. “He’s renting it. It still belongs to you, but he’s leasing the program.”

She wiped her fingers off with a napkin and took the check he held out to her. She opened it and her heart literally stopped beating. She looked up at him, eyes bulging like they had a few days before. “You’ve got to be kidding me?!”

He shook his head. “No, ma’am.”

“Two-hundred thousand dollars?!” she said, still shocked.

He nodded. “I negotiated it for you. I hope that’s okay?”

She nodded slowly, staring at the check. “That’s…that’s…fine.”

He watched her face. “You gonna be okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

“Hey, Allen, what’s with your brother?”

Her head shot up and she saw Linda walking in. She folded up the check again and said, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

Linda looked down and she saw the handsome green eyed blond man. “Boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “No. Best friend.” She smiled. “Linda Park, Sports Reporter, meet Dr. Carter Stephens.”

“Ahh…the newest Billionaire Boyfriend,” she smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too, Miss Park.”

Grace wiped her mouth. “What did my brother do?”

She took a seat next to Carter. “Well it’s nothing that he’s done intentionally, but I keep getting this vibe that there’s something more between them.”

“Hey, Grace, Eric called. Do you have the pic approvals?” Audrey asked.

She nodded. “Yeah.” She looked at Linda as she searched for a file folder. “I don’t know. He hasn’t told me anything. He’s talked about you a lot, but nothing about Iris.” She got the maroon folder and put a post-it on it. She quickly wrote a note to him and stood.

Seeing her in the dress and heels sent his libido to about 3,000. Her body looked amazing. His pulse fluttered and his heart pounded. Linda looked at Carter and then at Grace. “How in the hell did you get your legs?”

She looked down after handing the folder to Audrey. “Um…genetics,” she answered. “I’ve never really worked out….until recently. My mom had amazing legs. Ask my dad,” she smirked.

He chuckled. Grace walked back to her desk and looked at Carter. “Has he said anything to you?”

He shook his head. “No. We had lunch yesterday and he never said anything.”

Grace’s phone buzzed, her stomach dropped. “Oh, God…”

“What?” Carter asked.

“It’s dad.”

“Joe or Henry?”

“Joe’s dad, remember?” she said smiling. She looked at Carter. “Come on. I gotta go.”

He nodded and stood. She grabbed her phone and the cheek and hurried out the door. She turned back to Linda. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help, Linda. Really.”

“It’s okay, Grace. I thought I’d ask.”

She nodded. She rushed out of CCPN with Carter right beside her. They got into his Mercedes and he drove through the city, getting to the Lab in record time. She got out of the car and as she walked toward the building, She turned. “Are you coming?”

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t want to make Cisco more uncomfortable.”

She groaned and walked to him. She leaned into the car and said, “Get out of the car, Stephens before I take you out myself. You’re my friend. Cisco’s gonna have to deal. Plain and simple.”

They got into the lab and Grace’s eyes fell on Cisco’s. “Hey,” she said.

“Hi.” Cisco saw Carter walk in after her and his chest burned with jealousy. “Carter,” he sneered.

“Hey, Cisco,” he said friendly.

Instead of furthering the conversation, Grace looked at Barry and Joe. “What’s going on?”

“Joe’s being targeted by a Meta.”

“What?” Carter asked. “Why?”

“Because his brother died and he blames Joe.”

“So Clyde Mardon has a brother?”

“And both brothers survived the plane crash,” Wells explained, “and then the dark matter released from the particle accelerator explosion affects them both in virtually the same way.”

“Yeah, only Mark's powers seem to be a lot more precise. To be able to control the weather like that, indoors?”

“You'd have to be a Weather Wizard.”

Grace shook her head, but she laughed.

“Ooh, been waiting since week one to use that one.” He took a drink of his slushy and got a brain freeze for his trouble. “Mm!”

“Trigeminal headache?”

“What?”

“Trigeminal headache. Brain freeze.”

“Then why don't you just call it a brain freeze?”

Carter looked at Barry. “Just a thought, but the explosion was what, fifteen months ago? That might account for the reason why his powers are more controlled. He’s had time to learn control.”

Wells nodded. “The great doctor has a point.”

“So I'm guessing you running around a twister in the opposite direction isn't gonna to do the trick this time.”

Barry shook his head. He looked at Grace. “When we were discussing your powers, did you say you could control the weather too?”

She nodded. “Yeah. If the weather affect is elemental then I can do it.”

He nodded. “Then you’re taking point on this.”

Wells looked at Grace, then Barry. “Are you sure that’s a good idea.”

“She knows his powers, Doctor.”

Joe looked at Grace. “With everything,” his eyes slid to Cisco, then back to her. “do you think you could do it?”

She nodded. “I’m getting good at compartmentalizing my feelings about situations.” She sighed.

“I just remembered,” Cisco interjected. “During our run-in with Mardon, Clyde Mardon, I was tinkering with something to help attract unbound atmospheric electrons.”

“Like a grounding mechanism?”

“Yes, 'cause the only way that Mardon can control the weather…” Joe’s phone buzzed, “is if he can tap into the atmosphere's natural electrical circuit, and if we take away that circuit,” He pulled the straw from his drink, “clear skies.”

“Ooh. That’s good,” Grace said.

Joe looked at Grace, then Barry. “Singh's checking in. I gotta go.”

“Yeah, I'll meet you at the station.”

“Joe, we’ll find Mardon. Don't worry,” he assured him.

“I'm not worried at all.”

“Well, he's taking being targeted by a revenge-seeking meta-human rather well, I must say,” Wells said.

“He trusts us,” Grace said looking down at Wells.

Wells was too busy with concern for Barry. “Don't worry, Barry. Joe will be fine, I promise.”

“Yeah, no, I know. I actually wanted to talk to you about something else. You and Grace.”

“Mm-hmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Um... Look, last night, on my way to the morgue, I saw something. What'd you see? I was running and I turned and I saw myself. Or I don't know, another Flash running beside me.”

“Really?” Grace asked.

“Interesting.”

“Yeah. What do you think it was?”

Grace opened her mouth to say something, but Wells butted in.

“Could be an optical illusion, a mirroring effect caused by wind shear and light, a speed mirage, if you will.”

“It didn't seem like that.”

Grace sighed. “I don’t even know why I try.”

He shook his head. “It was...he seemed real.”

“I tell you what. Let's focus on finding Mardon, and once he's safely contained in The Pipeline, we'll investigate this.”

Barry nodded and caught up to Grace. “Hey, wait,” he said and stopped Carter too. “I need your help.”

“Sounds like Wells has it all figured out.”

He sighed. “Grace, please.”

She sighed and looked at him. “What do you need from me?”

“Well, both of you….your thing used to physics. Could you look into what this means?”

Carter looked at Grace, then at Barry. “Yeah. Consider it done.” He looked at his watch. “I gotta go. Mom wanted me to help her with something since dad is out of town.” He bent down and kissed Grace’s cheek. “Call you later.”

Cisco eyed her suspiciously. There was something going on between them. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and started for the door. He caught up to her. “Hey.”

She halted almost immediately and backed up a little to give them space. “Hi,” she said. She looked up into his face and sighed, sadly. “How are you?”

“Good,” he said. “I miss you.”

Her heart thudded. “I miss you too.”

“So, um…you and Carter seem to have picked up your friendship again.”

She nodded. She really didn’t want to have this conversation. “Yeah. I’ve been helping him with one of his projects since he’s using my software.”

“Your software?”

She nodded. “An AI program I made in high school,” she told him.

“That’s cool. You’ll have to tell me about it.”

She nodded. “I will. Gotta go. Staff meeting in the art department.” She looked at Barry. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Okay. Thanks, Grace.”

She smiled. “Anytime, Big Brother. Love you.”

“Love you, Kiddo.”

* * *

 

Iris walked to Grace’s office after talking to Eddie, and tapped on the door. Grace looked up and smiled. “Hey!”

“Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure,” she said. “I welcome the distraction. I’m starting to see double.”

“What are you working on?”

“Something for Barry,” she said. “He asks me sometimes to look up the science stuff to cut some of his load.”

She nodded. “So, um….last night we went bowling. And Eddie and I saw Barry and Linda.”

She nodded. “I know, Linda said something to me about it.” She leaned back in her chair. “What happened?”

“Well, I invited them to join us.”

She hissed through her teeth. “That was your first mistake.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Eddie probably wanted a date with you. Enjoying something we enjoyed as kids…with just you. Not having your best friend and his girlfriend joining you.”

“I didn’t mean to…”

She nodded. “I know.” She leaned forward. “Iris, I’ve been noticing something I think you need to seriously think about too.”

“What?”

“You’ve been acting weird. Ever since Barry told you how he felt about you, there’s been this weird thing with you.”

“Thing?”

“Jealousy or longing maybe, I don’t know,” Grace clarified. “I do know though, if you don’t want to lose Eddie and break Barry’s heart then reign it in, because it’s not fair to either of them. If you can have Eddie, why can’t he have Linda?”

The loud thunder clap got Grace’s attention and she turned her chair to look outside. Her stomach flipped as her heart beat erratically. “Shit,” she whispered. She looked at Iris. “I gotta go.”

“What? Why?”

“Um….told Carter I’d meet him at his mom’s for a late lunch.”

* * *

 

Grace flew into the sky and closed her eyes. She cleared her mind and seen Joe and Barry driving down one of the main streets in the city. She took off in dead flight. She got to them just as the car was exploding. She landed between the two of them. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” they both said.

“How’d you know?”

“I heard the thunderclap,” she said. “Not exactly sure how. Maybe my senses are tuned into the weather and environmental changes too.” She looked at her dad and brother. “Stay here.”

“Grace--”

“Stay there,” she said firmly. She stood and stepped over them. She stood in the middle of the road, blocking Mardon from leaving. “Get out of the truck.”

He revved the engine. She narrowed her eyes and the ground started to shake. “Get out of the truck, now!”

He continued to try to make the weather deter her from his escape, but she held up a hand and made a fist and the rainstorm stopped. She smirked at him. “I can do that too.” She walked toward him as he barreled the truck in her direction.

“GAIA!” Joe and Barry yelled.

To their surprise, she took her fist and slammed it into the truck, stopping it on impact and Mark flew out the windshield. When he landed, scrambled to his feet and ran. Grace exhaled and walked back to Joe and Barry, helping them to their feet. “Nice,” Joe told her.

She smiled. “Thanks.” She shook her head. She held up a finger. “Just a second.” She flew into the air and levitated. She looked up into the storm clouds and blew, they moved, and the sun shone again. She landed. “Much better.”

“So, how did you punch the truck without breaking your hand?” Joe asked her.

“Ferrokinesis.”

“Ferro-what?” he asked.

She laughed. “Ferrokinesis. Using my mind.” She smiled up at him. “It’s one of the abilities that comes with the solid element of my powers. Tell you about it later.”

* * *

 

Cisco looked at Barry after they talked about the latest with Mardon as Grace walked out. “I think your sister is avoiding me.”

He scoffed. “Why?”

“I don’t know. You’ve seen her more than me. You tell me. Or I could just ask Carter.”

He released a frustrated sigh. “Would you stop with that? Nothing is going on with Grace and Carter.”

“Then why would she be avoiding me?”

“I don’t think she is really.”

“Then tell me.”

“I think she’s just been busy. She’s been catching up on things with work and working on a project with Carter.”

“What kind of project?”

He shrugged. “I know it has something to do with the AI program she built in high school.”

“That’s another thing, your sister built an entire AI system in high school?”

He nodded. “She got bored. When she gets bored she does coding. Which led to her coming up with her AI program. For a year and half she and Carter worked on it. And as far as I remember, the thing is fully operational too.”

Cisco sighed. Barry may not think she was avoiding him, but he knew she was.

* * *

 

Grace got onto the elevator at the precinct and pressed the floor that was already lit up. She got off with a few people and smiled at Cisco. “Hey.”

“Hi.”

As the man in the baseball cap walked past her she felt something on him. She froze only for a moment. “That’s him.” She looked at Cisco. “Call Barry.” She got past Mardon and looked at Joe. “Hey, dad. I thought we could go to dinner.”

“Uh…yeah.”

“I heard you were looking for me. Here I am.”

“Mardon.”

“Hey, Joe. I can call you Joe, can't I?”

Grace took his hand and looked at Mardon.

“Figured we don't got to be too formal seeing as you put two bullets in my brother's chest.”

“Your brother killed my partner and a whole lot of innocent people, and threatened to kill even more.”

There was a rumbling thunder clap outside. “Yeah, Clyde was no saint, but he was family. If you can't protect your family, the least you can do is avenge 'em.” Again thunder clashed.

“This is between us,” Joe said stepping toward him.

Grace took the opportunity to leave to get changed.

“Nobody else needs to get hurt.”

“But they are gonna get hurt,” he flung him into the bullpen.

Eddie attempted to run toward him. “Joe!”

“No!”

“I'm not gonna be so easy to put down, Joe.”

“Take him down!” Eddie yelled.

“No, run!”

Grace tapped her earpiece. “Barry.”

“I’m coming, Kiddo. Be prepared. Once I use that wand you might not be able to use the weather abilities.”

“I know. I got others I can use.” She sighed. “Gotta go.” She appeared as Gaia. “MARK!”

“Ahh…the weather princess.”

She glared at him. “Gaia, jackass.” She glared at him. “Bring it.”

“I’m not here to play with you.”

“Too bad,” she said. “Joe West is a friend of me and my brother’s. And we don’t take too kindly to people messing with our friends.”

He struck her with lightning and Joe screamed out to her. He watched as her entire body seemed to glow a bluish-white and then she pushed her hands out and hit him with the same lightning. He slid across the floor on his ass. She panted as her eyes went from bluish-white to her usual blue. She smirked. “You’re gonna have to do better than that.”

Barry showed up and she backed away. She knelt down next to Joe as Barry used the wand and took the atmospheric stuff out so that Mardon couldn’t use his powers. She kept an eye on Mardon, but once his powers were out, he was gone. Joe quickly got up and went to his Captain. She stood and looked at the scene, then at Barry. “We have to do something. He saved Joe’s life, Flash.”

He nodded. He zipped to him and lifted the man up, taking him to the hospital.

* * *

 

Grace showed up to the hospital not long after Barry had and was pacing. She smiled at the man that was looking really worried. “Um….are you Rob?”

He nodded. “Do I know you?”

“No,” she said. “I don’t think so.”

Joe stood. “Rob, this is Barry’s sister, Grace. Grace, this is Captain Singh’s fiancé.”

She smiled. “It’s really good to finally meet you.” Her smile widened. “From all the barking he does, you take very good care of him.”

He laughed. “Thank you,” he said, his voice shaking.

“I’m sure he’ll be just fine, Rob--may I call you Rob?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

The doctor came out when the room fell silent from worry. Joe bounced up. “How is he, doctor?”

“We're stabilizing him. He's experiencing some paralysis in his lower extremities.”

“Oh, my God,” Rob muttered.

Grace walked to him and put an arm around his shoulders.

“The hardest thing to gauge right now is the extent of his neurocognitive deficits. So he may not be the same person you remember.”

“Can I see him?” Rob asked.

“I'm sorry, visitation's for family only.”

“Being his fiance makes him family, doctor.”

“Uh, sure.” She showed him into the room.

Joe stopped her. “Will he be able to return to the force?”

“I'm actually not sure he'll be able to walk again.”

Joe looked at his kids and then walked off. Grace sighed. “Dad.”

“Joe, where you going?”

“I need to end this.”

“Not by yourself.”

He turned on them both. “Yes, by myself! I know him! I can find him. I don't want anybody else getting hurt, especially Iris, Grace and you.”

“Iris is fi…”

“Mardon said he was going to avenge his brother. That goes beyond me. It goes all the way to you three. You stay with Iris, and you keep her safe. Do not leave her side.”

“Yeah, all right.”

Grace sighed. “Dad.”

He turned again. “Stay with Iris.”

She released a shaky breath. “Barry.”

He pulled her in for a hug. “Come on. Let’s go find Iris.”

* * *

 

They tried CCPN to find Iris, but she wasn’t there. So, they headed to the house. And low and behold, she was there. Grace pulled her jacket off. “Hey, have you heard from Dad? He's not answering his cell.”

“Nope,” Grace said. “Been looking for you though.

“Uh, no. I haven't talked to him.”

She sighed. “I'm starting to worry about him. What are you doing home so early?”

“I was looking for you, actually. I just met your friend Mason, and he said he had some kind of proof that Dr. Wells did something. Do you know what it is?”

“No, he hasn't told me.” The 3 of them fell silent.

“All right. So, how are things going with Lin-dah?”

“Oh, God,” Grace snickered.

“Why do you say it like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like how you used to always say "Beck-yee Coo-per.""

“Oh, come on. Becky Cooper was a nightmare of a high school girlfriend, and you should have never dated her.”

“She’s got you there.”

“What?”

“She hated me,” Grace said. “And you always said you’d never date anyone who hated me or Iris.”

“Okay, so you're saying that Linda is "Becky" material?”

Iris sat on the couch, tucking her legs under her. “I mean, I wouldn't go that far. She's... hot and nice and smart and she is really good at her job. I just... I don't think that she's the right one for you.”

“Then who is?”

Grace watched them. You could cut the tension with a knife. She seen the look on Iris’ face. She was finally feeling it. Her cell phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. She looked at the caller ID. She answered, “Hey.” She paused. “What?” She released a gasping breath. “When?”

“Grace?” Barry asked.

She hung up. “That was Eddie,” she said through the tears that were forming.

“Why didn’t he call me?”

“He said he couldn’t get through,” she said. “He’s got him, Barry. He’s got him.”

“No!” Iris almost screaming.

Barry looked at Grace. “Gracie, Sweetheart.”

She looked into his face. “What?”

“Call Carter.”

She nodded. She dialed his number. “Hey, Carter.”

At the Stephens Residence, Carter heard the hitch and the different pitch in her voice. “Cricket? What’s wrong, Sweetheart?”

“Mardon’s got dad.” She started crying. “I need you!” she cried.

“I’ll be there. Where are you?”

“We’re going to…to…to the precinct!”

“Okay. Just hang tight, I’ll be there.” He hung up and looked at his mom. “I gotta go. West Family crisis. Grace needs me.”

* * *

 

Carter rushed into the precinct and looked everywhere for Barry, Iris and Grace. Finally finding them he rushed up to them as Eddie was making his speech. “Any news yet?”

Grace fell into his arms not worrying about whether he’d catch her. He always did. He held her and soothed her. Barry looked at him and shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I can't believe this is happening.”

Eddie’s speech continued, as Barry turned to Iris and tucked a hand behind her head to get her to look at him. “We'll find him.”

Iris looked away. Barry got her attention again. “Hey, look at me, all right? I promise I will bring him back to you.”

Her cell phone rang and she answered, “Hello?”

“I have your father. He's a little broken, but still alive. If you want him to stay that way, come to the waterfront, south side. Oh, and Iris, you tell the police, your father's dead.”

Iris turned to them all. “He has my dad. He says if I tell anyone, he'll kill him. He wants me to meet him at the waterfront.”

“All right, I'm coming with you.”

“We’re all coming with you,” Carter said. Iris looked up at him. He smiled. “He may not be family to me like you three, but Joe West has always been good to me.”

“Okay. Let's go,” Barry said as he and Grace grabbed their bags.

They walked toward the elevators as Linda was getting off. “Barry.”

“Hey.”

“Can I talk to you for a second?”

“No, Linda, I'm sorry, I really can't right now.”

“Of course not.” She looked at Iris.

“Look, it's not like that It's an emergency.”

“A family emergency,” Grace added. “We have to go.”

* * *

 

They got to the docks and Grace noticed the weather was rolling in with a storm.

“What do we do?”

“He'll find us.”

They looked at the storm rolling in. “Oh, my God,” the girls said in unison. The thunder rumbled.

“Barry,” Grace said staring at it.

“Iris, you need to get out of here, okay? You need to get as far away from here as possible.”

Grace turned to Carter. “Go with her.”

“No, Grace--”

“Go!” she screamed. “I can’t do this and worry about you too!”

 

“I am not leaving you.”

“Iris, please!”

“Listen to me, ever since the night that you told me how you felt, I have not been able to stop thinking about you. At first, I was really mad, and then I realized that the reason that I couldn't stop thinking about you was because I didn't want to.”

He smiled. “I've never stopped thinking about you.”

 

Grace sighed. “Finally. Takes a natural disast--” She found her mouth being covered by a pair of soft, strong lips and she moaned into his mouth and dove right in. She knew it was probably wrong, with her and Cisco being in limbo but she really didn’t care.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and put her fingers in his hair, as they explored each other’s mouth. He pulled back moments later. “Come back to me.”

She nodded. He kissed her forehead. “I love you, Grace.”

Her heart thudded. She exhaled and went for it again. “I love you.”

He stepped back. “Go,” he told them both. “I’ll keep her safe. I promise. Go.”

Barry turned to Grace. “How do you wanna do this?”

“I gotta go in.”

“In the water?”

She nodded. “I’m going to see if I can dissipate it from the water. However, I want you to create a vortex.”

“Can I go that fast?”

She exhaled as the storm got worse. “We’re about to find out.”

Barry looked at Grace. “Do it.”

She nodded. Like the old TV shows with the heroes and how they got in their super suits Grace spun quickly.

Barry looked at Iris. “I am so sorry. I didn't want you to find out this way.” As Grace got in her suit, Barry speedily got into his and Grace knew what was going on.

Grace stopped, completely in her suit. While Barry was in his. He looked at his sister. “Go.” They left.

She nodded. She pushed off the ground and in a booming roar she was in the air. She flew over the water and then went in. Barry began running back and forth on the shoreline.

The Allen kids, began working together. Barry was running up and down the coast and Grace was calming the waters with her mind. However, Barry was moving so fast, that he seemed to have ended up back to yesterday.

He looked around and it was everything that had happened the other night. The fighting dogs, the woman trying to get a taxi. Did he just time travel?

“Hey, Big Brother, you okay?”

He looked up and there was Grace, hovering above him. “Uh….”

Grace looked at him. “You okay?”

“Uh….” he looked around again. “….Oh, boy….”


	27. Rogue Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After trying to stop Mardon, Barry finds himself repeating the day over....except with a new band of Rogues.
> 
> Grace's love life is continually complicated....especially when Cisco discovers that she kissed Carter...twice.
> 
> After the disappearance of Mason Bridge, Barry begins to believe that Harrison is exactly whom Joe and Grace said he was.

They got into the lab and Grace’s eyes fell on Cisco’s. “Hey,” she said.

“Hi.” Cisco saw Carter walk in after her and his chest burned with jealousy. “Carter,” he sneered.

“Hey, Cisco,” he said friendly.

Instead of furthering the conversation, Grace looked at Barry and Joe. “What’s going on?”

“Joe’s being targeted by a Meta.”

“What?” Carter asked. “Why?”

“Because his brother died and he blames Joe.”

Grace watched and listened as they talked about Mark’s powers and Barry seemed to be able to repeat what was being said before anyone said it. She looked at her brother. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been acting really weird since last night.”

He shook his head. “Um….”

“Mr. Allen, may I talk to you for a minute.”

Barry said yeah and then looked at Grace, “Can I talk to you about something later?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. Is it about how you’ve been acting really weird?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I need to tell someone and no one else will listen.”

She smiled and touched his arm affectionately. “You can always tell me, Big Brother. Doesn’t matter what it is. You could tell me you saw pink elephants and I would believe you. I’d think you were a little crazy, but I’d believe you.”

He laughed. “I know and thank you.”

Barry and Wells walked out and Grace began walking out. Cisco eyed her suspiciously. There was something going on between them. He could feel it. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and started for the door. He caught up to her. “Hey.”

She halted almost immediately and backed up a little to give them space. “Hi,” she said. She looked up into his face and sighed, sadly. “How are you?”

“Good,” he said. “I miss you.”

Her heart thudded. “I miss you too.”

“So, um…you and Carter seem to have picked up your friendship again.”

She nodded. She really didn’t want to have this conversation. Her memories went back to that kiss. She knew it wasn’t really anything passionate, but how was she going to tell Cisco? “Uh…Y-Y-Yeah. I’ve been helping him with one of his projects since he’s using my software.”

“Your software?”

She nodded. “An AI program I made in high school,” she told him.

That had to be a lie. He looked into her eyes for a moment before responding, “That’s cool. You’ll have to tell me about it.”

She nodded. “I will. Gotta go. Staff meeting in the art department.” She looked at Barry. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”

“Okay. Thanks, Grace.”

She smiled. “Anytime, Big Brother. Love you.”

“Love you, Kiddo.” Barry walked to his friend. “What’s going on with you?”

“I should ask you the same thing.”

Barry sighed. “What are you thinking, Cisco?”

“Something’s going on with your sister and Carter.”

Barry exhaled, shaking his head. “Dude, you do this and you will lose her forever, I’m serious.”

Cisco didn’t say anything and walked away. He was going to find out what was going on with those 2.

* * *

 

Grace walked out of her Staff meeting when her phone buzzed. She looked at the display and read the message. She sighed and rushed back over to the lab. She walked into the lab and followed them into the pipeline. “I don’t understand. You caught Mardon?”

He nodded. Her eyes went large. “How?”

“Um…just a hunch.”

She scoffed in disbelief. “I’d say.” She looked at her brother as the others walked away and after Wells scolded him. “Hey, what’s going on with you? Be honest please.”

“I’m always honest with you. I may evade, but I’m always honest.” He sighed. “Do you believe in time travel? For real, not because of Hollywood, but do you believe it could happen?”

She fell silent for a minute and thought about it. “Yeah. I do. Why?”

“Because I’m reliving today.”

She nodded. “Okay. What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ve already had today….” he began telling her everything.

When he finished she said, “So, wait…in the other today, Mardon took Joe so that Joe could watch him kill us with a giant tidal wave?”

He nodded. “And when the wave was coming, Iris finally told me that she had the same feelings for me and you and Carter finally told each other how you felt.”

She couldn’t believe it. “Huh.” She looked at her brother. “And Carter’s confession didn’t come because---”

“No. I remember you saying, “Finally. It took a natural dis--but you never finished it cuz Carter kissed you.”

“Oh,” she said. She couldn’t help but wonder what his lips would feel like on hers when she wasn’t crying. She looked up at her brother. “Um….I should go. Carter needed my help with something.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Go ahead.”

She walked out of the lab. She started walking to Carter’s house. She kept thinking about Carter, what Barry said and that one shared kiss from a couple weeks ago, the heartbreaking one. She got to Carter’s block when she figured out what to do. She walked a little faster to Carter’s Craftsman and she stopped about 3 houses away when she saw him walking out of the house and heading to the mailbox.

 _ _DO IT!__ The voice in her head seemed to scream and she walked to his house. “Carter.”

He turned and she walked toward him, the voice in her head encouraging what she was about to do. She rushed to him and almost instantly captured his lips with her own. Unlike the first kiss, this one was full of burn, a firestorm of passion. Keeping a grip on his mail, he crushed her body to his and deepened the kiss. He pushed his tongue past her lips and she moaned, giving him even more access.

Her body felt hot, needy. She never felt this much passion from one man it came to her. This passion was different than what she had felt with Cisco. With Cisco, he always seemed so tentative about just taking what he wanted, with Carter it was like he knew….

He couldn’t believe that this was happening. After almost 11 years and he was finally getting what he had fantasized about it and it was **_**_way_**_**  better than his fantasizes. He groaned in appreciation as he explored the dark recesses of her mouth. Her curves felt amazing against his hands, her body felt incredible pressed into his.

She tilted her head to get another angle and it seemed to change the intensity of the kiss and she pulled him to her more and dove in further. Hell, if she was going to do this, then she was going to go for it. Her body was already hot and greedy. And she wanted more of him.

 

 

Unbeknownst to the couple, across the street, someone was watching and recording it.

* * *

 

She smiled as they walked through his house and to his workshop. “How’s it going?”

“Frustrating.”

She looked down at the piece of tech he was playing with. “What’s the problem?”

“The Neuro implant isn’t coming together like I had hoped.”

She picked up card-sized piece of technology. She looked it over, then at the piece he was trying to put on it. “This the piece?”

He nodded. “It needs to go there,” he said and pointed at the bottom of the plastic.

She looked at the pieces and then carefully snapped them together. “Soldering tool?” She solder the two pieces together and then put it down.

Carter sighed. “Huh. Okay.”

She laughed and looked up at him. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay,” he said. “You were always better at figuring out how they fit than I was.”

She shrugged. “I’m good at puzzles,” she said and exhaled.

“Among other things.”

She laughed, blushing a little.

* * *

 

Grace walked out of the art department doors and walked toward Linda when she saw her brother talking to her. She gave them a few minutes and then said, “I don’t know if I should be offended.”

Barry turned and smiled. “Why?”

“Because you never come see me and I’ve been here for awhile.”

He laughed and kissed her cheek. “Hi, Kiddo.”

“Hi, Big Brother.” She walked over to Linda. “Look that over and tell me what you think, okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Grace.”

Grace smiled. “You’re welcome,” she walked over to Iris. She placed a page down beside Iris. “Tell your new BFF that the photographer doesn’t want that picture and to find another. I can’t print a picture that wasn’t authorized by the person who took it.”

Iris nodded. “And he’s not my new BFF.”

Grace started walking backwards as she said, “Could have fooled me.”

* * *

 

The bar where Cisco wanted to meet up with Barry was crowded tonight as Barry worked his way through the crowd. He came up to his friend and put his hands on his shoulders. “Hey.”

“Oh, hey, man. Thanks for meeting me here. Even though... you can't get drunk.”

“No worries.” He sits. “So, how was your day?”

“Great. But...Linda and I did break up.”

“That's the first time I ever heard anyone use the word "great" to describe a break-up.”

Barry smiled from ear to ear. “I have a feeling that I'm about to move forward with someone really special.”

“Okay. Go ahead, Barry.”

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“From the moment I met Grace, I’ve known you and her are extremely close, closer than a lot of brothers and sisters are with one another.”

He shrugged. “Yeah. We’ve been through a lot together. That’s what brought us closer. Look, Cisco, if you’re going to complain about--”

“Tell me about Grace and Carter.”

He cleared his throat. “What do you want to know?”

“I mean, I know she’s told me about him. That they were really tight and everything, but I didn’t…”

“You didn’t realize how tight?” Barry continued for him. He nodded. “Yeah.” He sighed. “Gracie and Carter have known each other since they were four years old. They were forced to sit with each other in Mrs. Ramsey’s class. They didn’t talk to each other for a few weeks, because as Grace said, ‘Boys have cooties’ or something like that. Then one day, I got a half day at my school--I was only in the first or second grade, so I decided to walk to her school to pick her up, so we could catch the bus together.”

He took a drink of his beer. “So, as I approached the fenced in playground, I saw this group of boys picking on her, pulling her hair and everything. I was about to hop the fence to rescue her when Carter came toward them, pushed his way into the group of boys and told them to back off and leave her alone.” He shrugged. “They’ve been best friends ever since.”

He took a breath. “Cisco, the one thing you gotta understand is that Carter and Gracie’s bond runs deeper than most best friends. He was there for her, for us when other kids looked at us like we were freaks because everyone believed what the police believed--that our dad killed our mom, but Carter was the only one who refused to believe it. And he was the only one besides Joe and Iris that was there for her one-hundred percent.”

“Have they ever been romantic?”

He shook his head. “No. Never. If they wanted to be they probably didn’t want to ruin their friendship, so they never acted on it.” He sighed.

“Well, I think they are now.”

“What?”

“There is something weird going on with them and I’m gonna find out what,” he vowed. “I’m going to figure out the weird vibe if it kills me.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“Confront Carter,” Cisco told him. “I know that guy has feelings for her.”

Barry groaned. “Oh, Cisco, no. Don’t. That’s a really bad, horrible idea.”

“Why?”

“Because, if Carter does have feelings for Grace he isn’t going to tell you. You’re his best friend’s boyfriend. He wouldn’t want to come between you two like that.”

“But he has,” Cisco said. “Ever since he moved back.”

Barry shook his head and took a drink of his beer. “Man, please, don’t confront either of them about your suspicions. Until you have concrete proof you’re just going to keep pushing her away. And if he does like her, then into the arms of Carter.”

“Hi. I don't normally do this, but I was watching you, and... can I buy you a drink?” The beautiful blond asked one of them. But which one.

“Uh...wow. I mean, I'm really flattered, but I…” Barry began.

“Actually, I was talking to him.”

“Um... I'm... I'm sorry, you said... you said you were talking to me?” Cisco stammered.

“Yeah, I just told my friends over there that I thought you were cute and they dared me to come over here and talk to you, so... please talk to me.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I suppose I can talk to you for a little bit.” He leaned into Barry and muttered something suggestively to him.

Barry nodded. “Yeah, no, I was just leaving.” He bent down and whispered, “Make me proud.”

“I'm Lisa, by the way.”

“Hi, Cisco.”

“I'm just in town for this symposium at Mercury Labs.”

“Really? You... what do you do?”

“Oh, I'm a structural engineer.” He looked at her shocked. Her smile widened. “Why do you look so surprised? Can't a girl be an engineer?”

“No, of course. That's...you just don't look like an engineer.”

“I can't help how I look. I... I mean, it's good. It's a... it's a good look. It's a great look.”

“Well, you don't look so bad yourself.”

He couldn’t believe what was happening here. “Am I being pranked right now?”

* * *

 

Cisco and Lisa stumbled into the house and Cisco said, “I can't believe this. The day started out pretty terrible, but now it's turning out pretty damn good.”

“I'll say.”

Cisco looked around in the shadows. “Wow. Look at this. These are nice things.”

“Oh, we're just squatting.”

“We?”

“Yeah. Me and my brother.”

The light came on and Cisco saw Captain Cold waiting for them.

“Hello, Cisco. What exactly are your intentions with my sister?”

“Oh, come on. I should've known better. I am not that lucky.” He looked at Cold. “Please don't kill me for kissing your sister.”

“You kissed him?” Cold accused.

“You're not dad, Lenny.”

“I know. Dad's in jail. Sterling role model.”

“What do you want, Snart?”

“Guns. Heat and cold, to be precise.”

“There's no way I am making weapons for you. Never again.”

“Mick,” Cold commanded.

Mick shoved someone through a secret door and Cisco realizes it’s his brother.

“I know I would do everything in my power to protect my family. The question is, will you?”

* * *

 

Grace exhaled as she started working on the program to put different commands in that Carter wanted. Every time she started coding and let her mind wander, it wandered to the amazing kiss on his front lawn. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed.

“Regrets?” Carter asked as he tinkered with the arm of the suit.

She shook her head. “No.” She stood and walked over to him. “I could never regret anything between us,” she sighed. “But I can’t stop thinking about it. Every time I start coding the commands in that you wanted, my mind goes there.”

He turned in his chair and looked into her eyes. He could see that she was telling the truth, that she didn’t regret it. “But….?” he asked, knowing there was one.

“But…why did you have to be such an amazing kisser? I mean, I’ve had some great kisses, some of them with Cisco, but…” she exhaled to emphasize her point. “Nothing, and I mean ****nothing****  like that before.”

He smiled. “Yeah, me neither. It was definitely intense.”

She let out a big breath and said, “Yeah. It was.” Her cell phone buzzed and she walked over to the desk where the computer was and answered, “Grace Allen.”

“Hey, Sweetheart, it’s dad.”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Leonard Snart was just seen at the Santini Crime Family Casino.”

“Oh, holy shit,” Grace muttered. “Really?”

“Yeah. If that’s true we could be looking at an all out crime family war.”

She nodded and said, “Okay. I’ll be right there.” She hung up the phone and looked at Carter. “I gotta go. Captain Cold is back in town. And if I don’t get there, Barry can die.”

“Die, what?”

“Captain Cold has a cold ray gun….it was original a creation of Cisco’s. He built in case Barry went dark side and we had to stop him.” She looked at Carter. “Can I call you later?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Great,” she started walking out.

“Gracie.”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful.”

She smiled and blew him a kiss on her hand.

* * *

 

She gets to the casino and tells Barry. I got cold. You get Heatwave or whoever he’s got with him this time.” She sighed. “We don’t need to you getting hurt like before.”

He nodded. They get in there, and Barry makes himself known, while Grace stands back. “We both know you won’t do anything to her. Oh, by the way, meet my baby sister. Lisa, Flash. Flash, Lisa.” He smirked. “If I remember correctly you have one of those, right?”

Grace stepped out of the shadow and she sauntered toward Leonard. “So, where’s your Pyro Friend, Lenny?”

“Keeping an eye on someone very near and dear to you…one can hope.”

She kept her hard face as she said, “Who’s that?”

“Cisco has been very, very busy. Unless you want me to mail small, frozen pieces of him back to his family, I'd take your hands off her.”

“Why you, Sonofa--”

“Tsk-tsk-tsk, Gaia.”

“Let him go, Snart.”

“I'll think about it.”

* * *

 

Grace paced, back and forth…back and forth. She started wringing her hands nervously. Barry looked up and watched her. She looked afraid. Wells stopped the video. “So there's Cisco getting into a car with Snart's sister. And the license plate is iced over.”

Barry slammed the ice pack down on the table beside him. He had gotten punched by Eddie at the casino for what he said to Iris. “All right, Dr. Wells, you were right. I... I... I screwed with time and now time is screwing with me. Cold is back, he kidnapped Cisco, and Iris is…”

“Stop right there before you cause another disruption to the timeline.”

Grace sighed. “Barry, we talked about this.”

He nodded. “I know.” He looked at Wells. “Please, Dr. Wells. Please, I have to talk to someone.”

Wells stopped. “Go ahead.”

“In the previous version of today, Captain Singh is seriously injured, Joe is in danger, and Iris said she had feelings for me.”

“And now Cisco's life is on the line, and Iris has no idea she confessed those feelings.”

“But she still has them, right?”

“She might.”

Wells nodded. “Your sister’s right. The unconscious mind, Barry, it... it's a powerful thing. It sounds like it took this apparent disaster to jar those feelings loose and without a disaster, those feelings remain deeper down. Unaccessed.”

“I don't understand. I thought that I was helping people by stopping Mardon.”

“We did,” Grace said. “I know we did.”

“Yes, but this new ability of yours, Barry, is dangerous. You only traveled back in time one day. What if you traveled back decades? Centuries? Imagine the havoc you could wreak.”

“But I will have the opportunity to travel back in time in the near future and save my mom. Or...you're saying I shouldn't?”

“I'm saying how many more people could die if your mother lives?”

“Did you guys find Cisco?” Caitlin asked, worriedly.

* * *

 

After a heart to heart and a failed attempt to escape, the Ramon brothers are battered and bruised. “I like you, kid. You're smart. You pulled yourself up from humble beginnings. You seem like a good brother.”

“You too.”

“Debatable. You answer one question for me, I'll let you and your brother walk.”

“What's the question?”

“The Flash and his beautiful sister, Gaia. Who are they?

“How would I know. They wear masks.”

Snart scoffed. “Really? Hmm…you’re going that way.” He pulled his phone out and pulled up the video his sister had gotten earlier. “Question, isn’t that your beautiful girlfriend, Grace?”

Cisco looked on the screen and saw Grace in a very intense lip lock with Carter. A more intense kiss then he’s ever experienced with her that was for sure. He clenched his jaw so hard as his stomach churned with jealousy. Snart looked at the video and pointed. “Who’s that she’s swallowing tongues with?”

Cisco glared up at him. Snart smirked. “I’m going to ask again,” he kept the video in his view. “Who are Flash and Gaia?”

He glanced at the video and then back up at Snart. “I swear...they always masks.”

To prove a point, Snart fired his gun at Dante’s hands, giving them first degree frostbite. “This is first degree frost bite. Your brother could recover with proper treatment. If not, all his tendons, blood vessels, and nerves will freeze. His fingers will need to be amputated. No more concertos for the Ramon family holidays. Now tell me, who is The Flash?”

* * *

 

Like before, Grace was pacing, while Barry and Carter stood around shooting off theories of where Cisco could be. Dr. Wells and Caitlin were checking satellites and everything. “There's nothing the satellite thermography. You were right. This is all my fault.”

“How is this your fault?” Caitlin asked.

“Brave heart, Barry. We'll get Cisco back.”

“I'm back.”

“Oh, thank God….”

Caitlin rushed to him. “Oh, my God. Are you okay? We were so worried.”

Grace hugged him, but it wasn’t his usual hug.

“What happened?”

“How did you escape?”

“I didn't.”

“What….? Then how did you….?”

“Snart just let you go? Why?”

“He, um... he tortured my brother. And he said he was gonna kill him if I didn't... if I didn't tell him…”

“Tell him what?”

“Who The Flash and Gaia really are.”

Grace’s eyes widened in shock, she sighed heavily.

“I, honestly, man, they... they could've killed me. But they were gonna kill my brother. I couldn't let him do that.”

Barry and Grace exchanged a look, one only siblings understood between each other and then Barry came to him. “Hey.”

“I'm sorry, Barry.”

“No.”

“I'm so sorry. I put you in that position. I'm the one who's sorry.”

Cisco pulled back from the hug and started walking into his lab room. “Where’re you going?”

“I don't deserve to be here. I won't be the one to put you in jeopardy. Not again. Never again.”

Grace sighed. “I’ll go talk to him.”

Barry nodded. Grace ran after him, finally catching up to him where he had started packing up his stuff. “Hey, What are you doing?”

“I told you,” he said as he continued packing.

“I know what you said, but why?” She walked to him as he spun.

“I told Snart who you are, Grace! I put your life in danger.”

“Okay, Cisco, that’s not fair,” she said. “You can’t put that on yourself.”

He turned to face her again. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” she asked, perplexed.

“That you kissed him.”

Her face fell. She looked down at her hands and then into Cisco’s eyes. “I don’t know. Probably,” she admitted.

“Did it happen before that?”

“What?”

He sighed. “Grace, don’t play stupid. It doesn’t suit you. Did it happen before?”

She nodded. He slammed the tool into the box and swore, “Sonofabitch!” He hurriedly walked out of the room.

Grace ran after him. “Cisco! Don’t do this!”

Before she could fully stop him, he had gotten to Carter, spun him around and plowed his fist hard into the other man’s face. Carter stumbled a little with the sheer force and immediately put a hand to his face. “Goddammit!”

He charged at him and slammed him hard against the computers. Carter groaned. “What is the matter with you?!”

“You kissed her! You kissed my girlfriend!”

Grace worked her way between the 2 men. She pushed at Cisco. “Back off!” she groaned as she shoved. “You’ve done enough.”

He seemed to come to his senses or something because he said, “Grace, I--”

“No! I said back off. You did enough damage as it is, Cisco.” She sighed heavily. “God damn it!” She groaned. “If you would have let me explain, we kissed each other. I kissed him, he kissed me. It was a mutual thing, okay? Now go find something to do and I'm gonna make sure that you didn't break my best friend's nose."

As she turned to check on Carter, he said to her, “Maybe I should leave for a while till you and Cisco's issues are settled.”

Carter couldn’t believe it. Was she just sweeping it under the rug like it didn’t mean anything?

Anguish stabbed her like a knife. She felt the pain sweeping inside of her. “Carter.”

He kept walking.

She watched him go. "Why can't I have both? You do. You get to keep Iris and date whomever you want. However, because I still have feelings for my best friend and I’m with someone else…I think, anyway. I have to choose one or the other. It's not fair." She exhaled. "This sucks." She started walking out of the lab.

Barry slid a disappointed look in Cisco’s direction. Cisco looked at him, confused. “What?”

And Grace groaned and started walking out, but stops. "You know Cisco this is that mature shit I was talking about. Punching a guy out because you found out that I KISSED HIM just as much as he kissed me is not exactly the most mature way to handle the situation."

"Grace, I didn't think--"

In that moment she came to a conclusion. He wasn’t going to grow up. At least not in time for her. "That's right you didn't think! So now I've lost one of the most important people in my life because you couldn't keep your damn hands to yourself! You know I thought I lost him 3 years ago when he left and now that he's back my jealous boyfriend punches him, almost breaks his nose and causes him to possibly walk out of my life forever." She sighed. "Thanks, Cisco. I appreciate it."

Cisco sighed. "Grace." She kept walking out. He looked at Barry, "Why is she so upset?"

“Unbelievable.” How could one person be so clueless? “I know you couldn’t have been that stupid to throw your relationship with her and your friendship with me out the window, Cisco. I was there before and after the kiss it wasn't a I love you kind man it was a sorry I was too late one. Carter was mature enough to back off your relationship and just be her best friend and 2nd closest confidant what you just did was throw Grace's trust and my trust in you out the window now sleep on it.”

“She kissed him after that,” Cisco told him.

“What?”

He sighed. “Snart showed me a video, apparently his sister took it. She and Carter were going at it like you would read in an erotic novel, man.”

Barry closed his eyes tight. That wasn’t an image he needed of his sister. “Which wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t acting so immature,” he told him, his eyes still closed.

“What?”

He opened his eyes and looked at his friend. “You drove her to Carter, Cisco. Your immaturity and jealousy drove her to seek comfort with someone else. I’ve told you before if she feels attacked or that she needs to be on the offensive all the time then your relationship will fall apart.”

* * *

 

Grace flew all the way to Carter’s house and landed in his front yard. She rushed up the steps of the porch and went inside. “CARTER! CARTER!”

He rushed out, a Ziploc bag full of ice in his left hand. “What? What is it?”

Instead of saying anything, she rushed into his arms. "Carter, please, I know when you told me how you felt it was too late, but…but I don't want to lose you. The three years you were gone killed me. I can't lose you again. I can't. That would kill me totally. Please, don't leave me again. Please....I can't lose you...I just....I just...I can't...."

He pulled her into him. He had no idea that the first time he had left had hurt her so much. He dropped the bag of ice into the chair and wrapped both arms around her as he whispered, “You’re not going to lose me, Gracie. I promise.”

She sighed in relief. She looked up into his eyes. She could see the bruising beginning already. “Oh, wow….”

“It’ll heal in the morning.”

She smiled. “Good. There’s one more thing.”

“What?” he asked.

“I don’t regret kissing you,” she said simply. “I know with the way I was talking to Cisco, you may have felt that way, but I don’t.” She exhaled and looked into his eyes. “You make me feel so much. You always have. When we kissed…that was the most amazing thing in the world, Carter. I’ve never felt…anything like that before.” She walked away, then turned back. “When you came home and you looked….like that,” she waved her hands up and down to emphasize her point. “I thought…”

He nodded. “I thought the same thing.” He walked to her. “You’ve always been beautiful to me, Grace. Even with the ‘ugly’ braces and the hair that never seemed to do anything. I never saw what you saw when you looked in the mirror.” He cupped her face in his hands. “However, I think, we should clear the air with Cisco. Have dinner with him, sort this all out. Maybe this is optimistic of me, but I think if he gets to know me, then maybe he will see that I’m not such a bad guy.”

She nodded. “That’s a good idea.” Her phone buzzed and she sighed. She pulled it out. She looked at the message. “I gotta go.” She sighed. She put a hand to his chest, tapping her hand twice. “Call you later.”

With that she was gone.

* * *

 

Grace and Barry stopped the Snarts and Mick before they could take the money, but Barry ended up letting Leonard go and telling Grace to do the same for Lisa and Mick. When they got back to the Lab, she grabbed Barry’s arm and pulled him into a room that had a door. “Why did we let them go, huh? What is wrong with you that that sounded like a good idea?”

“Grace--”

"So, are we letting them go? Is that what we're doing now, Barry?"

"Grace, it was either arrest them all or have the entire world know who we are."

"There's other ways, Barry. I had Lisa and Mick. We could have locked them in the pipeline."

“Its bad enough we're keeping meta humans locked in there without due process but if we keep the Snarts and Mick in there we'd be no better than the bad guys.”

She exhaled very deeply. “I hate when you’re right.”

He laughed and hugged her. Outside, Caitlin, Cisco and Wells watched. “Seriously do they ever really fight?”

Caitlin laughed. “I guess when you’re as close as them, you don’t need to scream at each other at the top of your lungs.”

* * *

 

Barry and Grace walked into Jitters and as they got closer to the group, Eddie approached them. “I am so sorry, pal. It's not like me to hit anyone. I don't know what came over me.”

“Uh... thanks, Eddie. It's... it's okay.”

“You poor thing. I had no idea.”

“Is that right?”

Grace was totally dumbfounded. “What?”

“Um... what exactly did you have no idea about?”

Caitlin approached. “I was just explaining to Iris and Eddie about your Lightning Psychosis.”

“My what now?”

“Your Lightning Psychosis.”

“Lightning Psychosis?” What? There was no such thing. And she should know. She had a degree in psychology.

“How your recent odd behavior is a side effect of being struck by lightning. Mood swings, sudden outbursts of affection, and other lapses in judgment.”

“He has had all of those things. He told me that he had ESP.”

“Yeah, it's a very uncommon neurological phenomenon. We're really only just now starting to research in kerauno-medicine. That's why Barry's been spending so much time at S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“I just... I wish you would've told me,” Iris told him.

“I didn't... it hardly feels real sometimes.”

Grace was too stunned to move as everyone went to sit. She felt an arm go around her shoulders and then a deep voice ask, “What happened?”

She tried to suppress the shiver, but she had a feeling she was failing miserably. She turned to face him. Those beautiful green eyes looked down at her. “Save me.”

He laughed softly. “What’s the matter?”

She sighed. “I’ll tell you later. It’s actually a very interesting story.”

As they approached the group, “So, we're good?”

“Yeah, we're good.” Barry looked at Caitlin. “Coffee?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

Grace smiled. “Eddie!”

He turned, “Hey, Gracie.”

“Hi, I wanted to introduce you to my best friend since…like forever. Carter Stephens. This is Eddie Thawne. Dad’s partner and Iris’ boyfriend.”

Eddie smiled. “Good to meet you, man. Iris talks about you like the four of you hung out together.”

“We did.”

Iris gasped. “What happened to your face?!”

“Ahh…well, funny you should ask that. Um…I was working on my latest million-dollar project and part of it came off and hit me in the face.”

She grimaced. “Ooh. Ouch! You gonna be okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be good. I’m just happy it wasn’t a fist this time.”

She laughed softly. “I bet.”

Eddie and Iris walked off and Grace laughed, slapping at him playfully. “You are such a liar.”

“Come on. Let’s get some triple chocolate hot chocolate and get out of here. There’s something I wanna show you.”

* * *

 

“So, what did you wanna show me?” she asked as up above, the thunder clapped and lightning crashed.

They had been walking for about 10 minutes when he stopped and then pointed to a building that looked like a storage unit. “What is it?”

“Well, I thought…” he looked down at her, “and you can tell me to go to hell, but I thought, it could your lab.”

“The whole thing?” she asked a little surprised.

“Well, yeah.”

“Carter, honey, it’s too big for just me…but, what if…” she looked up into his eyes. “…we share it?”

“Share it?”

“Yeah. We’d be co-owners. I’d chip in my half. You chip in your half and--”

Just then the sky seemed to open up and start to pour down on them. He pulled his jacket up over her head and said, “You’d really want to?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I think it’d be fun. It’d be like sharing your parents’ garage again.”

He laughed. “Dad still hasn’t gotten that black mark covered up. Says he can’t find the right shade of paint anymore.”

She laughed and looked innocent. “Oops.”

He chuckled. Her cell phone beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket. She looked at it. “It’s Barry. He wants to meet in his lab.” She looked up at him. “Come with me?”

“Yeah. Then we’re getting a taxi home, especially if this rain is this bad.”

She nodded.

They ran all the way to the lab and went up to Barry’s lab. They walked in and Grace shook the rain from her hair. “What’s up? What are we doing here so late?”

Joe looked at the two of them. “Is this going to be a thing again?”

“Would it be so bad if it was?”

He shook his head. “No. I just wish it would become an actual real thing.” He looked at Carter. “And you know I don’t say that often about any boy who’s dating my daughters.”

Grace smiled. “It just might.”

“I think that maybe you two were right, about Dr. Wells.”

“Ooh, this is going to be interesting.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

“What about Dr. Wells?”

Grace exhaled. “You remember when I told you that we found new evidence about my mom’s murder?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well, and this might sound crazy, but uh, we’ve found proof that Barry went into the past to stop the Reverse-Flash from killing mom.”

“How?”

“His blood was on the wall,” she explained. “They fought that night.”

The explanation continued and Carter knew then and there what he wanted to do. “I want to help.”

Joe smiled. “Figured you would once you knew the whole thing. But we gotta do it discreetly, because if people are disappearing who are getting too close to discovering the truth then we could be next.”

They all nodded. They started coming up with a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting to the end of the Cisco/Grace drama. One more chapter to go.


	28. Tricksters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a new Trickster in town and it'll take a now distrustful Barry to trust Wells to beat him.
> 
> Cisco and Grace end their relationship amicably. 
> 
> Barry and Grace get a chance to hug their father again. 
> 
> And they let Eddie in on what's going on...including their secret identities.

Grace jerked awake the next morning when she heard her phone buzzing. She looked around and realized she was at Carter’s house. She looked in the chair next to her and seen him conked out cold. She smiled. He looked so peaceful and handsome sleeping like that. She swiped up her phone and seen that it was a call from her brother. She answered, “Hey, Barry, I’m on my way.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, overslept,” she admitted.

“Okay, see you in a few. Love you.”

“Love you.” She hung up the phone.

“Who was that?” Carter asked groggily.

“Barry. Remember, we promised we’d meet him at the lab with dad.”

“Oh, shit,” he muttered. “We did.”

She smiled and walked over to him. She kissed his forehead. “Don’t worry about it, Big Guy,” she tapped his chest, “I bought us at least fifteen minutes.”

“Thanks for your help with the suit.”

“You’re welcome, Carter.”

Carter looked at her and his heart thumped hard in his chest. God, how he loved her.

“Stop staring at me,” she said.

“Sorry, can’t help it.” He kissed her hair. “I’m going go and try to make myself presentable.”

“You won’t have to try that hard,” she called out to him.

“Same goes, Allen.”

Grace sighed. What was a person to do when their feelings for one were getting a lot stronger than for the other?

**********************

“Hey, sorry we’re late. We overslept then got four coffees,” Grace said as a way of a greeting.

“We?” Barry asked, smiling, taking the cup.

Grace rolled her eyes. Carter laughed. “Not even going there. We’ve got to attempt this dinner with Cisco first then we’ll see what happens.”

Barry nodded. “Okay. All right, this is everything that we know about Harrison Wells, which is actually not a lot.”

“Didn't you read a whole book about him?”

“Yeah, 600 pages, and the big takeaway is, he's enigmatic.”

“I read it too,” Carter admitted. He shook his head. “Not worth the money I paid for it, trust me.”

“Your mom was killed by a speedster. Wells' machine turned you into a speedster. That's way too many coincidences for this old cop.”

“That would be true if it hadn’t done what it did to Grace,” Carter told them.

“True,” Barry said.

“Unless in some weird strange way, I’m a part of his plan too.”

“Do you think that he wanted me to become The Flash?”

“Everything he's done since that night you got struck by lightning... bringing you to S.T.A.R. Labs, giving you the suit, training you... it's all been to keep you safe.”

“And to make me faster. Wells once said that he needed more speed from me. Why?”

“I don't know. But he wants something from you, Barry. We just need to figure out what it is.”

“Well, let's go get him then. Let's get some answers. We can't do that now as much as we might want to. Joe, you had your suspicions about Wells from the very beginning. You thought that he might be the man in yellow.”

“Except the blood from your house didn't match him.”

“All right, so maybe he's not the Reverse-Flash,” Barry thought.

“What if he’s working with the Reverse-Flash?” Carter asked.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you mean?” Barry asked, looking at Carter.

“Well, maybe I’ve watched too many superhero TV shows and stuff. but what if Wells is like his partner or something?”

“That makes sense,” Grace said. “And it’s very plausible.”

Joe nodded. “Good one, Carter.”

Barry smiled, appreciatively. “You think that he knows what happened that night? He may have the key to getting our dad out of prison.”

“Whatever Wells wants from you, it started 15 years ago. He's been patient. Scary patient. You gotta listen to me on this. We have to be just as patient.”

“Patience isn’t one of my strong suits, guys,” Grace said.

“No? Really?” Carter teased. “I had no idea.”

She playfully slapped him in the chest. “Shut up.”

Barry smiled. “You two are adorable. I almost forgot how cute.”

She smiled. “Thanks, but--”

An explosion caught their attention and they all walked to the window. They saw a black plume not far from them. Barry looked at Grace and she nodded. They changed quickly and both sped out of the building, not to be seen.

They got to the park where people were scattering. One little boy was about to touch the bomb, but Flash saved him. Gaia took a deep breath and began sucking in the bomb smoke. She then flew off toward the bay and dove in, and let the smoke out. She stayed in the water for a few minutes and then came up.

She flew to S.T.A.R. Labs and began coughing. Carter rushed to her. “Gracie, are you okay?”

She looked at Cisco. “Water….” she said hoarsely.

He quickly got up and grabbed a bottled water for her. She twisted the top and guzzled the water. Carter looked at Cisco. “What’s wrong?”

“She sucked in the black smoke from the bombs,” Barry told them as he walked in. “Water heals her.”

She finished the water and gasped. “I forgot….how much….that burns,” she breathed out.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

Carter looked into her face. “Hold still,” he said and she did. He looked into her face then scanned with his eyes from the top of her head to her shoulders. “They’re not burnt to a crisp, but you did singe them a little.”

“Do you have x-ray vision?” Cisco asked.

He nodded. “Sort of. I’ll explain later.”

They watched the weird guy in the black mask as he spoke, “ _ _Tricked ya. Look who's back. My tricks. My treat. But I'll give you something good to eat. Today's special. A city in ashes. The Trickster proudly welcomes you all to the new disorder__.”

“Talking in the third person. That's never a good sign,” Carter and Grace both laughed.

“You're just mad because he named himself,” Caitlin teased.

“Actually, he didn't. 20 years ago, Central City was hit by a series of terrorist attacks. One man killed at least ten civilians, two cops. That guy called himself The Trickster.”

“Whoa. Someone was rocking the unitard.”

“James Jesse?” Caitlin asked.

“Like Jesse James, only more twisted.”

“Where is this Mr. Jesse now?”

“He's serving several life sentences at Iron Heights. He was just about the most dangerous thing Central City had ever seen.”

“You mean until the Particle Accelerator blew up.”

“Um…”

“Barry and I will go see this James Jesse at Iron Heights, see if he can give us something that can help us catch his groupie,” Joe said quickly.

“I'll analyze the video and see if I can figure out the source,” Cisco volunteered.

Joe and Barry both walked out. “Hey, Joe. Is Barry doing all right? He seems cranky.”

“Even The Flash wakes up on the wrong side of the bed some mornings. He's fine.”

Wells looked at Grace and she smiled. “He’s fine, doc. If he wasn’t he’d have told me.” She leaned down and said to Cisco, “Dinner at Veranda. Eight o’clock,” she said her voice still a little hoarse.

He nodded, smiling. “I’ll be there.”

She smiled back at him and then looked at Carter. “Ready?”

He nodded. They walked out together.

************************

At about noon that day, Grace found her office door opening and Iris coming in, with Audrey frantically following behind. She looked at Audrey. “Don’t worry about it, Audrey.”

Just by the expression on Iris’ face, Grace knew something was wrong. Iris looked at Grace. “I’m sorry.”

Grace shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. You okay?”

“I’m fine, but no one seems to believe me.”

“About what?” Grace asked as she stood, walking to the door to close it.

“Mason Bridge is missing. He’s been missing for a week.”

Grace sighed. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.”

Iris looked at her sister again. “I know you and he didn’t get--”

She raised a hand and shook her head. “Don’t. What do you want me to do?”

Iris stopped. “Really?”

She nodded. “Iris, you’re my sister and if you need my help then I’m so there. It doesn’t matter if I didn’t like someone, if you ask for my help I’m there. So what do you want me to do.”

“Help me look.”

She nodded. She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when her cell phone vibrated. She answered, “Hey, Cisco, what’s up?”

“The Trickster just sent another vlog out.”

“Send it to my computer. I’ll look at it.” She hung up. “I will help you, Iris.”

Iris smiled. “Thanks, Grace. See you after lunch?”

She nodded. “Absolutely.” She opened the link on her laptop and watched, “ _ _Denizens of Central City, or those of you who remain, welcome to Boom Day. I'm very proud to report that my first trick was an exploding success. But I think you all deserve something much, uh, bigger. So for my next trick…__ ”

She picked up her phone and dialed Carter. “Hey, it’s me.”

“Hey, Cricket. What’s up?”

“How does your eyes work? With your powers I mean?”

“Depends on what you need,” he told her. “Why?”

“Do you think you could scan for a bomb?”

“Yes,” he said confidently.

She eased herself onto the corner of her desk. “Really? Just like that? No hesitation at all?”

“No.” He sighed. “I’ve always told you I will do anything for you and just because I confessed to you that I love you that’s not going to change.”

She had figured out that she wanted to tell him too. She exhaled. “What did I do to deserve you, Carter?”

He smiled on his end. “By being the cute pig-tailed brunette that I was being forced to sit next to.”

She laughed. “And all it took was Mrs. Ramsey’s seating chart and I got a guy in my life that I am quickly discovering has always been my superhero.”

He smiled softly. “And that is someone I’ll always cherish being for you, Grace.”

Her heart leaped. It was things like that she wanted to hear. Would it really be so bad to date your best friend?

* * *

 

“Where are you going all dressed up?”

“Dinner,” Grace told her father smiling at him. She looked over her shoulder at him. “I told Cisco to meet me at Veranda. Where we’re going to be meeting Carter too, but he doesn’t know that.”

“You really want them to be friends don’t you?”

She nodded. “I know if Cisco got to know him he’d like him,” she insisted, “but because he senses something between us he’s gotten all kinds of hostile.”

Joe smiled and kissed her hair. “Well, be careful.”

She nodded. “Promise.”

* * *

 

Grace waited by the door of the restaurant for Cisco. She’d been waiting there for about 10 minutes, when she finally seen him pull up. He got out of the car and looked her up and down. She wore a navy blue bodycon pencil dress, and she looked amazing. “Wow…Gracie, you look great.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “So do you.”

They walked into the restaurant and Grace looked around. It was beautiful. It had a lot of hanging lights over the 50 or so tables in the dining area, along with a purple backdrop of lights. “Wow,” Grace murmured. “This is beautiful.”

“Yeah, it is,” he said. Grace talked to the hostess and then she directed them to their table.

Cisco saw Carter sitting at the table as they approached. “Grace, what….?”

She stopped him before he could walk away. “I know it seems like you’ve been ambushed but give him a chance. For me?”

Cisco sighed and sat across from the man. Grace sat between the 2 of them, on the right side. Carter smiled. “Hi, Cisco. How are you?”

“Good,” he said with a nod. “You?”

“Pretty good,” Carter answered.

Grace began praying that the awkward vibe that befell them would disappear soon….she could hope.

* * *

 

About an hour and half later and Cisco hated to admit it, but he liked the guy. He was actually having a good time talking to Carter, learning who he was. He was even more impressed with the modesty he had about his accomplishments as an inventor.

The one thing he saw the tension that was simmering very intensely between the 2 of them. But now he could also see the maturity that Carter was giving to the situation. __Oh, man….Grace was right all this time. I am immature. All this time I’ve been blaming Carter when it’s been me all along. I’m the one that’s been breaking us up. My immature outbursts and jealousy. Dang it__.

“So, I was thinking if I took the neuro-implants CPU--”

Cisco stood swiftly and walked out of the restaurant without a word. Grace and Carter exchanged a look. “Don’t go anywhere, please.” She stood and quickly chased after him. Finally outside, she stopped him, “Cisco, wait a minute.” She stepped in front of him. “Hey, What happened? Where did you go?”

“I gotta go.”

She stopped him again, this time by the arm. “Wait…what? Why?”

Cisco faced her and sighed. “I see what you meant now.”

“About?” she asked gently.

“Right now I have a lot to think about, a lot to learn about being mature. If Carter can give you what I can’t….” he sighed. “I can see you two being **_**_REALLY_**_**  happy. I may not be that mature, but I am mature enough to know that I can’t be with you as your boyfriend at the moment. I hope we can still be friends and hang out like we always did before we became a couple.”

“Always,” Grace said, her heart hammering hard in her chest.

He sighed and walked to her. “One thing I remember from our time together is to never have any regrets, to always live life to the fullest.” He took her hands. “Grace, you’ve been waiting to have a relationship where you can put your everything into it and have him return it with just as much abandon. I think that man has been sitting in front of you the whole time. It’s your childhood best friend.” He took her face in his hands and said, “If the perfect relationship you’ve been gunning for, been needing, isn’t with me then you need to go get it. So do it.” He kissed her forehead. “For once in your life do as your heart is telling you and go for what you want…what you’ve always wanted.”

Grace couldn’t believe what he was saying. They were done and he was encouraging her to pursue a relationship with Carter. “Cisco, I--”

“No, Gracie, you deserve to be happy, more than anyone. So get your happiness.” He kissed her forehead and walked away.

Still stunned by his words and actions, she just watched him go. After a few minutes and not being able to see his taillights anymore, she headed back inside. She walked to the table.

“Everything okay?” Carter asked, when she came back to the table.

“Uh….” she had no idea how to tell him.

Concerned, Carter coaxed her, “Gracie?”

“Um…yeah,” she answered. “Everything’s fine.” She looked at Carter. “Cisco and I just ended our relationship.” She slowly lowered herself to a chair, Carter followed.

“I’m sorry, Gracie.”

She took a deep breath. “No, it’s okay,” she said. Even if she was stunned by it, she understood what he was doing. And he didn’t seem devastated and she wasn’t that crushed either. She was a little disappointed, but she’d analyze that later. “Cisco ended it.”

He could tell she was still stunned by what was said. “What happened?”

She proceeded to tell him everything that happened outside. By the time she was finished, Carter was just as surprised. “Wow….”

She nodded. “Yeah. That’s not the kicker though,” she said lifting her wine glass.

“Okay, what else?” he asked.

She sipped the dark red liquid and then looked at him. “He encouraged me to be with you. He thinks we’d be really good together. He believes you’ve been the one I’ve been looking for this entire time. The one who will give me everything I’ve wanted and that I need in a relationship. In a forever.”

To say he was shocked was an understatement. “Wow….really?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m still shocked by it.”

He exhaled. His heart hammered hard against his chest. He was mere inches from everything he ever wanted, but it was still slightly out of reach. “How do you feel about that?”

“Um….I….don’t know,” she admitted honestly. “I didn’t expect that.” She exhaled. She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Ask me in the morning and I’ll give you an honest answer.”

He nodded. He could handle that.

* * *

 

They had decided to stay and get dessert. While they ate their respective cheesecakes, they ended up talking about everything from childhood to what they were doing the 3 years they hadn’t seen each other. “There is something I wanted to ask you though.”

She nodded. “Okay. Shoot?”

“Well, as Central City’s newest billionaire, apparently it has afforded me some perks.”

“Which are?”

“Well, one is being invited to Mayoral events and fundraisers. Which is going on tomorrow night. I was hoping….”

She smirked. She knew what he was getting at. “Well, Doctor Stephens, I do believe you just asked me out on our first date.”

He chuckled. “Trust me, Cricket, if it was our first date I’d take you somewhere better than an event for the mayor.”

She laughed. “Noted.” She leaned forward, suggestively and looked into his eyes. “We could always call it a pre-date…you know before the real date?” she asked suggestively.

He smiled. Her phone vibrated, interrupting the flirting, and she picked it up. “Hey, Cisco. What’s up?”

“Hey, the Trickster is broadcasting again,” he told her.

“Send me the link,” she told him.

He sent her the link and she clicked on it. She waved him over. He slid a chair over and she pressed the link. The Trickster started, “ _ _Get ready for the games to begin! I have...a bomb. It's a big bomb. It'll make a big bang and then a big hole and then a big drop in the pop-ulation. But never say The Trickster is not fair. The bomb is somewhere between 52nd Street and Avenue B__.”

“Oh, crap,” she whispered.

He stood, took his wallet out and threw down 3 $100 dollar bills and then took her hand. “Come on.”

They went to the lab and quickly dressed. She in her suit and he in his. They met up with Barry. Over her comm she could hear Barry asking for help. After Cisco told them what he was doing with the satellite, Carter cut in and said, “I’m scanning for any kind of heat signatures.”

“Carter?” Barry asked into his comm.

“Yeah, Bar. Grace asked me to use my scanners to help. Is that cool?”

“That’s awesome,” he said.

Carter stopped, Grace cascaded down. “You okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. This doesn’t feel right. Usually when I scan for something I can actually feel it before I see it and I’m not getting either.”

“Which means….?”

“There isn’t anything to look for, Grace. Nothing.”

She tapped her chest. “Barry, did you hear that?” No answer. “Barry!”

“Don’t Grace,” Wells told her. “He’s not even listening to me.”

Grace sighed and looked at Carter. “Can you fly with that thing?”

He nodded. “All this suit is for is to help concentrate my powers and to protect me from stuff. It’s not going to be giving me powers, just a way to harness it.”

She smiled and took his hand, then tapped his chest. “Let’s go.”

Carter stopped her before she launched into the air. “Wait. What if this wasn’t about the City, but about something else?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it. Why broadcast Citywide you have a bomb if you actually don’t?”

Grace touched back down to the ground. “For the distraction. He needs the cops and the superheroes occupied while he does something bigger.”

Carter smiled. “There’s that beautiful brain of yours.”

She smirked. “Come on, Einstein.”

“Uh-oh, there's an explosion at Iron Heights.”

“You were right, Dr. Stephens, this was all a diversion,” Wells said.

“The prison was the real target,” Caitlin said.

“James Jesse. I guess he's tricked us all.”

Barry called Joe. “Joe, there's no bomb in this city. It was a diversion so The Trickster could help James Jesse escape.”

“I know. We just got surveillance footage from Iron Heights. Jesse got away.”

“Grace, Barry, look, they took a hostage.”

“Well, who did he take? A guard? The warden?”

“No. Your dad.”

Grace gasped. “Daddy….” she said into her comm. “But why? There would be no reason to take daddy. No one knows his connection to us.”

“Gracie, you and Carter get back to the lab.”

*************************

Grace and Carter rushed into the lab and Grace seen Joe waiting. She rushed into his arms. “Dad.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held on. He kissed her hair. “We’ll get him back, Sweetheart. I promise.” He looked at Carter. “What are you wearing?”

“Um…I guess you could call it a super suit.” He exhaled. “Barry and Grace weren’t the only ones that you know that were affected by the explosion.”

He nodded. “I know. Grace told me, but what’s with the suit?”

“This suit is designed to help me harness my powers in a more concentrated manner and protect me if someone finds out that the Flash and Gaia aren’t the only one’s with superpowers.”

Joe nodded. “Good thinking.”

He smiled. “Thanks. Next week, Grace is going to do--”

“What do we have?” Barry asked.

***********************

Grace found Barry after he walked out of the comm unit in where the makeshift prison is held. She sat down next to him and then bumped his shoulder. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Are you? You seem to be beating yourself up over something that Carter and I caught onto mere seconds before they realized it.”

“How can you be so calm?”

“Because I have to be. My big brother and our adoptive father have both promised me that we’ll get him back and in my experience I’ve learned to trust their promises.” She bumped his shoulder again. “Especially yours.”

He sighed. Joe showed up and asked, “Hey, you okay?”

“Do you think our dad is still alive?” Barry asked.

“Yes. Yes, he is. Of course. Jesse only took your pop to use as leverage. He might be crazy, but he's not stupid. And everyone upstairs is looking to find him.”

Barry kept his eyes on the containment bubbles. “So now I'm supposed to just leave my dad's fate in the hands of a man who may have had something to do with my mom's murder.”

“That’s not what we’re saying, Barry,” Grace said. “If anything you’re leaving daddy’s fate in the hands of your two best friends.”

“What?”

“That’s how I’m able to keep my cool. I’m not putting daddy’s life in Wells’ hands, I’m putting it in Cisco and Caitlin’s.”

He nodded. “Joe, I can't do this,” he said, his voice breaking.

“Oh, Barry, you can. I believe in you.”

“Listen to your sister. You can.”

“It just doesn't make any sense. I mean, if Wells is a murderer, then why does he want to help me? Why has he helped me stop so many criminals? Or saved Ronnie? Why didn't I see this?”

“I spent 1/10 as much time with him as you did, and he almost had me believing in him.”

“Almost.”

“Look, whatever else he is, he is Harrison Wells. You love science. He is science. It's like you made best friends with Einstein.”

“You're saying I wanted to be tricked.”

“No, no, no,” Grace said moving in front of Barry. “Look at me.”

He looked down at the floor. She exhaled. “Barry, look at me.”

He looked into her matching blue eyes. She smiled. “I love you. You’ve been my superhero long before you actually became one. You’re my big brother. Do you know there is one thing I’ve learned from you that I’ve used to this day.”

“What?”

“Your ability to want to see the good in people. The best in people. You weren’t tricked, Barry. You did what you’ve always done, you saw the best in Harrison Wells, until his flaws became too great and you couldn’t see anything else.”

Joe smiled. “Your sister’s right, Barry. I've been a cop for 25 years. All I can see is the flaws, the lies, the dark thoughts that people think I don't see. I wish I could be you. As fast as you are, that is your real power. Don't let Wells take that from you. I don't know why he's helping us. All that matters is that he is.”

“I can't lose my dad, Joe,” he said and bent his head down.

Grace took a hitching breath and wrapped her arms around him, whispering to him. “We won’t lose him, Barry. We won’t.”

“Barr. Barr, come on. Come on. Come on.” Joe pulled him up. They were all hugging when, “Grace?”

“Yes, Cisco?”

“A delivery guy just dropped off a killer dress,” Caitlin told her over the comm.

“Oh, crap!” she exclaimed. “What time is it?” She tilted Barry’s wrist to her. “Oh, man!”

“What?” Joe asked. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

“And why is a delivery guy dropping off a dress for you?” Barry asked.

She exhaled. “Carter asked me to be on his arm for the mayoral event that’s going on tonight.”

“Wait, wait, wait….” Barry said. “Does that mean you and Carter….?”

She nodded then shook her head. “Sorta.” She took a deep breath and began telling them about dinner. When she finished she said, “And before he walked away he actually encouraged me to finally go after what my heart wants and to stop worrying about others so much.”

“Wow…” Joe muttered. “You gonna take his advice?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I am.” She exhaled. “I’ve waited ten years to finally see where Carter and I could go I think it’s finally time to throw caution to the wind and finally go for it.”

“Hallelujah!” Joe exclaimed.

She laughed. “Tell us how you really feel, Detective.”

He laughed and kissed her hair. “Sorry, baby. But I think you and Carter would be amazing together once you finally went for it. Just like with Barry and Iris. I have nothing against Cisco. He’s a great guy and an amazingly smart scientist. And a friend, but….”

“Carter’s always been different,” Barry added. “Always has been. Cisco was a great boyfriend and he treated you amazingly well, but Carter has always been an open book for you. You can get deep inside of him. Cisco is guarded and I think that has a lot to do with his upbringing and that’s not something you can do for him. He has to learn to open up himself.” Barry smiled. “But Carter….Cisco’s right about one thing--if you want that emotionally deep connection you’ve always talked about then Carter’s your guy.”

She laughed softly and kissed his cheek. “I love you.” She hugged Joe. “Both of you.” She opened the garment bag Caitlin held out to her and gasped when she saw it. “Holy…..shit….”

Caitlin looked at the dress. “Isn’t this a seven hundred dollar dress?”

She shook her head. “More like a thousand,” she murmured.

“Oh, God,” Cisco said. “Who designed it? God?”

She shook her head. “Madelyn Kole,” she said softly.

“Who’s that?” Caitlin asked.

“She’s the woman who designed my mom’s wedding dress. I was about fourteen when I mentioned it…I can’t believe he remembered.”

“I can,” Joe and Barry said in unison.

Grace looked at Cisco. “You okay? I mean, if this makes you--”

“No, no, no…” he said immediately. “It doesn’t. I told you to do it, Grace. And seeing that look on your face is everything.” He kissed her cheek. “Have fun. I wanna see what it looks like when it’s put together.”

“Please,” Caitlin said gleefully.

Grace walked into her changing area and pulled out the letter that was tucked into the dress. She opened it and read:

Cricket,

I hope I got everything. If not let me know and I’ll be sure to pick it up.

XOXO, Carter

She smiled and bit her bottom lip. God he was amazing. She pulled the dress out of the bag with the shoes and headed for the bathroom.

About an hour later, Grace walked down the corridor and stood for them to see, then spun. Barry smiled. Caitlin sighed. She was wearing a royal blue one-shoulder mermaid style dress. A pair of diamonds hung in her ears, soft makeup with a bold red lip. Her dark hair was pulled up into a low side bun, with a few strands out of it. “Oh, God, Grace, you look amazing!” Caitlin gushed.

She smiled. “Thanks.” She looked at the men. “Well?”

Cisco smiled and kissed her cheek. “Beautiful. You were made to dress up like this, Grace.”

She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Thanks, Cisco.” She looked at Barry and Joe. “Barry? Dad?”

Joe stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead. “You look absolutely beautiful. He’s going to be stunned.”

“And if not tell him to come see me,” Cisco told her, smiling.

Barry took a deep breath. “You look like mom, Gracie.”

She her eyes began swimming with tears and she slapped him. “Not fair. Jerk.”

He laughed and hugged her. “Knock him dead. And smile, remember you might be in the papers tomorrow.”

Her stomach dipped. “Oh, God. I hadn’t even thought of that.”

Joe shook his head. “Don’t,” he told her. “You look amazing. You look like all those other women in the room. I just know it.”

**************************

Carter couldn’t believe his luck. He pulled his Mercedes into a parking space and then turned to her. “Don’t get out yet.”

She laughed. “Carter, I can open my door.”

“I know you can, that’s what makes it so much fun to do this.” He was finally out with her and not in a social setting like a Jitters. He was going to enjoy the moment.

He went around and opened her door for her. She eased herself out and straightened. He shut the door after her and then offered his arm. She smiled up at him and shook her head. “No, thank you.”

His heart stuttered and cracked a little. She smiled and slid her hand in his, palm to palm. She smiled up at him. “I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“What hold my hand?”

She nodded. “Yeah, don’t you remember what I used to say about the little gestures of PDA?”

They headed for the entrance, both smiled as the cameras clicked. He did remember, “Yes, I do.” He smiled at the gentleman that was checking people in. “Dr. Carter Stephens, D. Sc. And guest.”

He searched the list. “Yes, Doctor. Here’s your brochure for the evening.” He smiled at Grace. “Have a good night.”

“Thank you.” She tightened her grip on his hand.

He smiled. “Baby, loosen--”

“What did you call me?”

“Uh…nothing. Never mind,” he muttered. Mentally scolding himself as they walked into the room.

She smirked as they were beginning to be approached by the mayor. She stopped him and straightened his tie. “I liked it,” she whispered and kissed his lips quickly. She turned to face the mayor. “Mayor Bellows.”

He looked into Carter’s eyes. “Dr. Stephens, thank you for coming.”

Carter smiled. “Thank you for inviting me.” He looked down adoringly at Grace and then said to the mayor, “This is my date, Grace Allen.”

He shook her hand. “So, good to meet you, Miss Allen.”

“You too, Sir.”

He moved on to someone else and Grace leaned into Carter and whispered, “I hate politicians.”

He laughed softly and whispered into her hair. “No one would have known. You did very well. You sure you haven’t mingled like this before?”

She laughed. “No. This is my first.” She kept a hold of his hand, this time interlacing their fingers. “Maybe it’s my date.”

He smiled. “We can only hope.”

Grace looked to see Iris talking to Mayor Bellows. “Oh, Iris is here. Let’s go say hi.”

He smiled and started following her when the voice from the podium caught their attention. “Welcome, welcome, Central City's finest. How about a toast to Mayor Anthony Bellows? He doesn't just yell at his staff, he bellows!”

“Oh, holy shit,” Grace muttered.

“Is that who I think it is?”

She nodded. “Yep. And there’s too many people in here to do anything.”

“We might not have a choice, Babe.”

 

“How quickly they forget. James Jesse, your honor, aka The Trickster. And I'm here to relieve you fine people from all your money. Because we know if you're in this room, you've got loads of it.”

“What makes you think that anyone in this room would give you a cent?”

“Because that champagne they just slurped down like so much fruit punch... I added a little something special to it. Trimethylmercury 32. Poison.”

Grace looked up at Carter. “You didn’t take anything did you?”

He shook his head. “No.”

She exhaled, relieved. “Oh, God! Iris did!”

 

“Without the antidote, you'll begin to feel the effects in about, oh, um…”

“One hour,” the second Trickster said.

“One hour.”

As if on cue, a man began to gag and foam at the mouth.

“I remember you. You got to the party about an hour early. I offered you the very first glass of champagne.” He laughed and then looked at everyone. “An hour is plenty of time for all of you to call your bankers and transfer everything you have to the account number on the bottom of your glass.”

“Carter…”

“Don’t worry, Gracie. I’m not transferring anything.” He eased his way forward and stood next to Iris. “How are you feeling?”

She nodded. “Okay, I guess.”

Grace leaned into her sister. “Call Eddie or Dad.”

She nodded. “Block me.”

Carter kept close to both women. Jesse walked up to Iris and started flirting with her. Then the Flash came in and while they were distracted Grace looked at Carter. “Stay here.”

He nodded. “Be careful.”

She smiled and kissed his lips. “Always.” She snuck away and blended into the crowd. She quickly stripped out of her dress and thankful she had the present of mind to put her suit on underneath. She put her mask into place, then tapped her ear. “Don’t worry, Barry, I got this. Just do as Wells says and get the bomb off. You are not allowed to lose limbs, Big Brother.”

“Be careful, Gracie.”

She flew into the room. “Hey, Jesse.”

“Ahh…it’s the Flash’s little sidekick.”

The younger of the tricksters fired his gun at her and she threw up her hands as the crowd gasped. They bounced off an invisible shield she had put up. He looked at the gun, confused. She walked up to him, quickly disarming him and then bending the gun in half.

She walked up the stage to Jesse and slammed up against the wall hard, just as Flash came back, giving everyone the antidote and then looked at her. “Gaia, you okay?”

“Fine.” She glared at him. “Where’s Henry Allen?”

He started mouthing off and she squeezed a little more, he started gasping for air. “Where is he?”

Finally he gave it up. She looked at the Flash. “Go. I got him.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Axel attempting to leave. She threw up her hand and he seemed to be trapped by nothing. “You can keep trying to fight, Axel, but that’s an air construct prison. You ain’t getting out of there until I let you out.” She looked at Iris. “Iris.”

“Yes, Gaia?”

“Call your father and Detective Thawne.”

She smiled and nodded. “Absolutely.”

The entire crowd began clapping and she smiled. The Mayor walked up to her. “Thank you. I’d thank your partner too, but--”

She smiled at him. “I’ll be sure to give him the message, Sir. You just keep running this City and we’ll help make it safe, Sir.”

Moments later, Eddie and Joe came in and Joe approached Gaia. “Thank you,” he said smiling.

“You’re welcome, Detective. Please tell Iron Heights to keep them away from each other. We don’t need them plotting their next great escape.” She tapped his shoulder. “Detective Thawne.”

“Gaia,” he said. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” She looked at Carter and gave him a wink and then went through the glass without breaking it.

Moments later, Grace walked back into the room and looked at everyone. “Everybody okay?”

Iris nodded. “Yeah, thanks to Gaia and the Flash. Where did you go?”

Grace smiled. “Checked on the others,” she said quickly. “I snuck off while they were distracted with the Flash.” She took Carter’s hand. “I’m sorry I missed all the excitement.”

He chuckled and kissed her hair. He tilted his head to her ear. “You were amazing and if we were actually sleeping together right now you’d so be getting laid tonight.”

She laughed, blushing a little and slapped his chest. “Shut up.”

*********************

Grace rushed into the lab, still dressed in her evening gown and rushed to her father. “Daddy!”

He immediately wrapped his arms around her and held on. “Oh, Baby.” He looked her over. “Are you hurt? Your brother told me you were taking down the guys that held me hostage.”

She smiled. “I’m fine, daddy. I promise.” She looked at her brother. “We do what we’ve always done.”

“Wow. Half of this stuff didn't even exist when I was practicing,” Henry said in awe of everything.

“Yeah, well, I'd be happy to give you a crash course on all of it if you get out,” he immediately realized his mistake. “I'm gonna shut up now.”

Henry laughed. “It's okay. However, I do have a question, you and my daughter?”

“No longer together, Sir.” He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He looked at Carter and Grace. “He’s the better man for her.”

Henry looked up and smiled. “Well, Carter Stephens.”

Carter smiled and hugged the older man. “Hi, Henry. How are you?”

“I’m really good. I thought Grace told me that you moved to New York?”

He nodded. “I did, but I missed everyone so I came back.”

He smiled. “And you’re finally taking a chance with my daughter?”

He nodded. “We’re getting there, yes.”

“Good.”

“Dr. Allen?”

“Yes?”

“I'm feeling the need to give you a hug.”

“Absolutely. I will always accept a hug. Thank you.”

Henry walked up to Barry. “Wow. You gotta tell me. What does it feel like when you're running down the street like a bat out of hell?”

“There's no feeling like it.”

“I bet.” He turned to face Grace. “Princess Gracie.”

She smiled. “Yes, daddy.”

“What’s it feel like to fly?”

She looked at her brother and he smiled, nodding. She looked back at her dad. “Wanna find out?”

His eyes widened a little. “Really?”

She nodded and then turned to Joe. “Dad?”

Joe nodded. “Go ahead, Sweetheart. Be careful.”

She looked down at her outfit. “Let me get changed and I will meet up with everyone out front.”

They nodded. She quickly changed into a pair of jeans a t-shirt. She walked outside. She put her arm around her dad’s waist. “Put your arm around my waist, Daddy.”

He did as she asked. “Now, relax. Whatever you do don’t go dead weight or we’ll crash and don’t stiffen up either. That’s about as bad.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

“Cisco.” He walked to her. She pulled her earpiece from her ear. “You don’t need to be in my ear for this.” She pushed off, and they hovered. “You okay, daddy?”

“Yeah. Wow…I can’t believe my baby can fly.”

She laughed. “Gonna go higher.” She went further up and then started flying regular.

As they flew over the city, Grace said, “I miss you, daddy.”

“I miss you too, baby.” He exhaled. “It’s nice to see you and Carter together again.”

She smiled. “Yeah.”

“Still got your crush?”

She nodded then shook her head. “Yes and no. I have a crush yes, I think I always will, but…” she stopped and looked her dad in the eyes. “Daddy, I know you heard me say this about Cisco, but I think…no, I know this is different….I’m in love with him.”

He laughed heartily. “About damn time you admitted it.”

“You knew?!”

He laughed. “Of course I did. You’re my daughter, Grace. There isn’t anything you could keep from me.” He kissed her forehead. “And if you don’t marry this boy I may have both your heads examined.”

She laughed. “We haven’t even had our first date and you’re planning our wedding?”

“Your mom was planning your wedding long before I was.”

She laughed. “Oh, good Lord.” She tightened her grip. “Come on, let’s go back before dad thinks that I kidnapped you.”

He laughed. As promised she brought him back and he said his goodbyes to Wells, Cisco and Caitlin. He looked at Carter and hugged him tightly. “I am so glad you’re home, Carter. You have no idea.”

He smiled and hugged him tight. “Me too, Henry.” He sighed. “Me too.” He kept his voice down as he said, “There’s three things I want you to do for me, okay?”

He nodded. “Anything.”

“One, love my daughter.” He looked him in the eyes. “And I mean, really love her.”

“Without reservation,” Carter said.

“Two, take care of her,” he said.

“Always. That will never stop. What’s the third one?”

“Marry her.”

He laughed and hugged him tightly. Henry slapped him on the back. “I mean it.” He looked into Carter’s green eyes. “I can tell you this by just looking at her, she’s in love with you, Carter. Always has been.”

He laughed softly. “Tell you what, when we get to the third one I will make sure you’re there to walk her down the aisle, okay?”

He nodded and hugged him again. He said goodbye to his kids and smiled as he watched Grace tuck herself into Carter as she cried softly and Carter held her.

* * *

 

Grace walked up to her dad and brother, with Carter next to her. “We may have a problem.”

“What?” Joe asked.

“Iris is looking into Mason Bridge’s disappearance.”

“When did you figure that out?” Barry asked her.

“Earlier this week. We can’t let her do that.” She placed a hand on her chest. “I love her as if she is my sister. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“We could bring in Eddie,” Carter suggested. “But that may take you and Grace revealing yourselves to him.”

The Allen siblings and Joe exchanged a look. Then the siblings exchanged one. Barry looked at Joe. “Let’s do it,” Barry said. “For Iris.”

* * *

 

They revealed themselves to Eddie and he took it surprisingly well. He was shocked, as they expected, but he went along with it. They told them the story to tell Iris about Mason. He went back to the West house and told her what he ‘found’ out about Mason.

Joe, Barry, Carter and Grace walked into the house; Carter and Grace were holding hands--this time it was him initiating it. Joe walked over to Eddie. “Did she buy it?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Keeping her in the dark, it's for her safety.”

“That is debatable, and we will have that debate. But for right now, what's our next move? How do we figure out what Wells is up to?”

“When Wells was talking me through phasing so I could get the Trickster's bomb off my wrist, the way that he described my being The Flash, running, feeling the wind and the power, it's like he was talking from experience.”

“What are you saying?”

“I don't know how...but he's the man in yellow. Harrison Wells is the Reverse-Flash.”

Grace sighed, running her hand through her hair. She touched Carter’s arm. “Tell them what you thought, Einstein.”

“Well, I was telling Grace on the way over here about a theory I heard once in a physics journal I was reading. Have no idea where it went to show you, but in there they were talking about the possibility of time traveling at the right speed.”

“Huh?” Eddie asked.

“Ever see Back to the Future?” Grace asked.

He nodded. “Several times.”

“You know how they have to get up to eighty-eight miles an hour to get the deleoran at the right speed?” Eddie nodded. “Well, think of it like that. If Barry could get up to the right speed then he might be able to ‘jump’ to another time.”

Carter nodded. “Right, Gracie. Which might explain why Wells…he might not have enough speed to get back to wherever he’s from.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this update took so long. 
> 
> And I know some may feel like Carter and Grace gave away the end, but they didn't. For them, these are a theory. No reason or research to prove otherwise.
> 
> Since we are coming to an end with this story there will be an update every Tuesday....except this coming Tuesday. See you again on March 12th


	29. All-Star Team-Up

Grace stood in the large room that Carter had dubbed the ‘Projects Room’ in his house and she sighed as she looked at the neuro-transplant and looked up at Carter. “Show me again where you wanted to put it?”

He pointed to the right side of his head toward his temple. Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay, Babe, come here.” She walked over to the teaching skull she had in her room and placed it in the spot that he wanted it. “It’s awfully big for that spot on your head.”

He slowly walked over to her. They weren’t dating, quite yet...or were they? He wasn’t quite 100% sure on that. They said the pet names like they were dating and they spent most of their time together...so….is that dating? He knew that she wasn’t pursuing anyone else and neither was he, but he didn’t know if he should wait for the right appropriate time to ask her out or something. 

And Grace, Carter and Cisco were getting along great. He seemed to be totally on board with the whole friendship thing. And he and Cisco were getting along great, in fact, the other night they went out drinking with Barry and Eddie for a guys’ night out. He smiled and gently took the device from her. “Let me see, baby.”

She handed it to him and then put her hands on her hips as he positioned it back a little more. He looked at her. “How about there?”

She thought about it for a minute and nodded. “However, how are we going to get the nanotransmitters to attach themselves inside your body to bring your armor on command like that.”

He smiled, put the piece down and put his arms around her waist. “That is why Ray, Felicity and Lexy are coming.” He kissed her nose.

Her heart did flips and the butterflies fluttered. She watched him walk away and she sighed. “Carter.”

“Yes, ma’am?” he asked looking at her. 

“Are you ever going to kiss me again?”

He smirked and walked to her. “Do you want me to?”

She scratched her forehead nervously. “All the time,” she admitted and then flushed pink.

The smile stretched across his face and he stopped in front of her. “I thought you didn’t mind the small gestures?”

“I don’t,” she said and sighed. “But I want to be kissed too. You haven’t kissed me in over--”

He pulled her against him and captured her mouth in a mind-blowing kiss. At first, she stiffened in surprise, her head spinning and she moaned, then she relaxed and fell into the kiss. She brought her hands up to grip his shoulders as he deepened the kiss. He pushed his tongue between the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth to gain him entry. Their tongues immediately sought each other’s out and the kiss seemed to have taken on a life of its own at that point.

He turned her toward the table in the room, their lips still ravishing each other and picked her up, putting her on the top. They panted as they looked at each other, then she pulled on his shirt and pulled him toward her, her smiling the entire time. She nipped at his lips and then plundered his mouth. 

He was 23 years old and had been kissed several times since his first kiss, but there was nothing like kissing Grace. Kissing her and finally being able to without feeling like was breaking some kind of rule or something was an aphrodisiac in itself. His hands dropped to her legs and he pushed them up her legs, moaning into her mouth at the feel of the silkiness from her dress.

She rolled his shirt into her fingers and began pushing it up, she pulled it above his head. He let it drop to the floor. She took a moment to revel in the feel of his chest against her fingers. She looked up, tucked her hand behind his neck and pulled him to her.

He pushed the blazer off her shoulders and dipped his head down, kissing softly. She moaned. She had never wanted someone the way she did Carter. There was something about him that seemed to set her libido into overdrive and she couldn’t seem to stop when she wanted or needed to. “Carter…”

“You know when we do….make love, I’m taking my time, Grace.” He pecked up the side of her neck and the gave her opened mouth kisses down. “And… (kiss)...I’m worshipping… (kiss)...your body…. (kiss)...the way I always fantasized about.”

She gasped, both at the thought of him doing so and what he was doing. “When….?” she asked, breathlessly. Her body was on fire.

“Soon,” he said and scraped his teeth across her pulse point making her jerk.

“Oh, God, Carter….” She could have sworn she came right then and there. 

The sound of her phone going off several times in succession pulled her out of her lustful needs and she shakily groped for her phone. She answered, “H-H-H…” she cleared her throat. “What’s up, dad?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” She pulled the phone from her mouth and kissed him, then sucked on her bottom lip, staring at him. “I’ll be right--”

“Both of you, Grace. He might be able to help with the getaway cars.”

“Okay, we’ll be there.” She hung up.

“What’s up?” he asked pulling his shirt on.

“Apparently there’s a full moon out tonight. Every criminal in the city is out. And Barry’s torn in all kinds of directions, not to mention dad and Eddie.”

He nodded and pulled his suit on. She began pulling her suit on, but stopped, bit her bottom lip again as she watched him. “Is it wrong of me to find that thing really hot?”

He laughed. He shook his head. “No. I find yours hot too.”

“So, are we going to have to refrain from PDA when you’re wearing that?”

He shook his head and pulled his helmet on. “Nope.” He smiled. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Eddie and Joe raced to catch up to the robbers as they sped through the streets.

“We've got a 10-31 in progress. Shiny Diamond, 18th and Olive,” the female dispatcher said. 

“That's only a few blocks from here,” Eddie told him. 

“Has every crook in Central City gone crazy? This is the third attempted robbery tonight. Barry. We got another one.”

Barry phased into the vehicle with an indecent exposure guy. “Hello.” 

“18th and Olive.”

“Got it. Who's this?”

“Oh. Indecent exposure. Powell Park.” 

“That ain't something you should be showing people.”

“They're getting away, guys,” Eddie said frantically. 

“They're not getting away, Eddie.”

Grace tapped her earpiece. “Hey, dad, Carter and I got the Shiny Diamond. You have fun playing musical chairs with Barry.”

He laughed. “Thanks, Sweetheart.”

***************************

Grace and Carter showed up to the Shiny Diamond to see the guys beating out the glass. She walked into the store. “Going somewhere, Gentlemen?”

The guy raised his fist to punch him and Grace quickly disarmed him and ended up breaking his wrist. Carter stopped the other one just in time for Barry, Eddie and Joe to show up. The guy Grace had groaned in pain. “The bitch broke my hand!”

“So, uh, I'm just curious, but... have you guys not heard of me, or what?” Joe and Flash fist bump. Grace notices that Eddie’s feeling uncomfortable or out of place.

Barry looked at Eddie. “Nice work, Detective.”

* * *

Grace went back to S.T.A.R. Labs to change out of her suit and Carter did so also. She looked at Carter. “I think I’m going to head home and go to sleep.”

“Wha...what? Why?”

She laughed. “Because Carter we haven’t even gone out on our first date yet and we’re already ready to rip each other’s clothes off. I think we need some air.”

“Is that some kind of code?”

She laughed softly and kissed him. “No. No code. That means we both need to cool down, Baby.”

He let her walk away but then stopped her, pulling her to him, and kissing her senseless again. He ended the kiss and looked down into her face as her eyes fluttered open. “I love you. Good night.”

“Uh….” she straightened, blinking in surprise. “....Yeah. Night.”

* * *

The next day, Carter went to the precinct and waited for Joe. He smiled when he saw both Eddie and Joe walking in. “Good morning, Detectives. Jitters coffee to start your day?”

Eddie smiled. “Thanks. Don’t you have a job?”

He nodded. I do. I build inventions for a living. However, I came to ask Joe a very awkward question.”

Joe smiled. “Sure, Carter. What’s up?”

“Before you ask, can I ask something?”

“Sure.”

“How long have you known Grace?”

“Um….it’s been twenty years. Been her best friend just as long, but have been wanting to be more forever. Which I have waited a long time and it’s finally here and all I wanna do is--”

“Whoa!” Joe exclaimed. “No!” he shook his head. 

“So, does that mean you won’t give me an honest answer to my question?”

“What?” he asked.

“Do you think the first date is too soon to, uh…?”

Eddie looked at Joe who looked like he was about to blow. He snickered. “No. Not if it’s mutually agreed upon, but Carter, you are aware that she isn’t a one-night kind of girl, right? According to what Iris says she’s the forever kind and will see sleeping together--”

“As a first step to her forever,” Carter finished. “I know. She’s been saying that since she was fifteen. Women need an emotional attachment before they get into bed with you. With Grace, it’s even more so and trust me the emotional attachment is deeper than you will ever know.”

Joe sighed. “Look, Carter, I love you like a son. You know that. And normally I would tell you yes on the first date thing but not with you two. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me but we’ve been waiting for long enough for you two to get together. We just want it to happen.”

Carter nodded. “Noted. I gotta clear a project out of the Lab, so I’ll talk to you later.” 

* * *

He walked into the lab and about stopped dead when he saw Grace. She was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans that hugged her body beautifully, a blue top and black blazer with knee-high black boots. He smiled. “Good morning, All.”

Caitlin smiled. “Hey, Carter.”

Grace smiled at him. “Hey. Did you continue work on the--”

“No. I, uh….had to help my dad with something.” He smiled. “By the way, mom wants to know when you’ll be over for dinner. Something about it’s been awhile or something.”

She nodded. “Yeah, it has.” She glanced at Barry when she seen that he was confused. “I haven’t been over to James and Michelle’s house in a while.”

“Why not?”

She shrugged. “She made me feel bad about not ending up with her son.”

Barry laughed. “Of course she did, because like Joe, they’ve waiting forever for you guys to get together.” 

“Death by apitoxin,” Caitlin said coming back into the room. 

“Honeybee venom.” 

“Bees. Why did it have to be bees? Y'all, I don't do bees. Ain't nobody got time for bees.”

“But when a honeybee stings, the stingers are literally torn from their abdomen, and they die.”

“But there were no stingers in the body and no dead bees in the car.”

“A honeybee can only deposit .1 milligrams of apitoxin when it releases its stinger.”

“Yeah, but if you don’t have an allergy it takes a normal human up to 1100 bee stings before the venom kill them.” Carter stopped speaking when he noticed Cisco, Wells and Caitlin looking at him. “What?”

“You have facts on bees?”

“Yeah. I’m allergic, so I learned everything I could about them.”

“And yet, Ms. Kang was found with enough venom in her system to kill a herd of elephants. It appears not only is a meta-human controlling these bees but also increasing their toxicity.”

“Bees communicate by releasing pheromones. Maybe this meta's controlling them through secretion?”

“Anyone want to join me in getting a beekeeper suit?”

“I'm pretty sure I can outrun a bee.” 

“Just don't run into a lake. Bees will wait for you to come up for air and then they'll sting you. Discovery Channel. Turns out there’s a lot to discover.”

Grace smiled. “Hey! Whatcha doing here?”

“Can you guys come outside for a sec?”

“What exactly are we waiting for, Ms. Smoak?”

“Up there.” 

“Is that a bird?” 

“It's a plane.” 

“No, it’s my mother’s boss.”

Grace turned and squealed happily when she saw Lexy. “You did come!”

Lexy laughed and attempted to hug Grace when there was a crash. They both looked. Ray stood. “Hi. I'm Ray.” 

Carter looked at him confused. “What’s going on with your suit?”

“I don’t know,” Ray said. “I was hoping that Grace could take a look for me….that is if you’re still speaking to me?”

She smiled. “Of course. I don’t hold grudges unless you give me a reason to.”

They walk back inside and Grace looked at Ray, hands on her hips. “What’s going on?”

“Well, I was hoping you could tell me but it seems like the suit can’t stay up.” He scratched his head. “You don’t think it’s the computer CPU, do you?”

She looked at him, curiously. “Um….no. I reconfigured Gideon to adapt to you. Just as I did Carter. There should be no reason why she’d malfunction.”

“Gideon?” Cisco asked.

“It’s the AI program that I developed almost eight years ago. I recoded it to adapt to both Ray and Carter spefically and Carter hasn’t told me if there’s any glitches in it.”

“I wouldn’t be able to anyway, Cricket. My meta-physiology would automatically fix any glitches. So most of the time I wouldn’t even know if there are glitches in the computer system.”

“You’re a meta?” Felicity asked.

He nodded. “I was hit by the accelerator at the same time.”

She looked at Ray. “Do me a favor?”

“Absolutely.”

“Get checked out by Caitlin and I’ll take a look at your suit’s system.”

He nodded. She smiled. “Thanks.” She took the helmet and the arm of the suit and went into the other room. 

Barry turned to Felicity. “I just... I really wish you would've called before flying in.”

“Oh no, he flew. I drove.” 

Lexy was hearing the conversation and walked over to Barry. “I'm serious, all right? Now is not the best time.”

“What’s going on?” Lexy asked.

He sighed. “How much time you got?”

“Um...I’m here for a day so,” Lexy told him. “I promised Grace a training session.”

“Training session?” Carter asked. “What’s she need a training session for?”

“I’ve been teaching her hand-to-hand combat.”

“Really?” he asked a little surprised.

She nodded. “I know you’re all guy now and you probably know how to but if you want I could teach you.”

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. “You’re adorable. Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Back at home. Someone had to be mom while dad and the others are keeping the City safe.”

He laughed. “Is he aware that you call him that?”

Felicity scoffed. “You serious? Of course he is. She even gave him a codename.”

She rolled her eyes. “I only gave him the name because he’s always watching out for me, mom.”

Carter laughed. “What’s the name?”

“Watchman.”

 

“So have you... picked a name yet?”

“I'm kind of partial to The Atom. Shoo.”

“You married to that, or...?” 

Grace laughed as she walked back in. “Cisco, you don’t get to name everything.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s not an evil Meta that needs a name. He’s a Billionaire Scientist who wants to help keep his City safe.”

Wells cut in, “Your A.T.O.M. suit... it's quite the technological achievement, Mr. Palmer. I'm impressed.”

“And he is never impressed,” Caitlin added. 

“Well, thank you, but I can't take all the credit or seem to quite seem to keep it up.”

Grace watched them stumble their way through the awkwardness. She laughed and shook her head. “Please tell me we’re not that awkwardly weird?” She asked looking up at Carter.

He shook his head. “No.” He kissed the top of her head. He bent his head down and whispered, “I missed you last night.”

She sighed as her heart hammered in her chest and her stomach fluttered. “I missed you too.” She sighed. “Let me ask you something.”

He nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Let’s say I did spend the night at your house, in your bed, would you be able to keep your hands off me?”

“I wouldn’t want to no, but if you asked me to I would,” he answered, kissing her cheek. “Why?”

“Because I thought we’d at least wait until our first date to have sex,” she whispered.

Uh, guys, we kind of have a lot going on already. There's the meta-human killer that can control a whole swarm of bees?”

“Cool,” Ray laughed.

Lexy stomped on his foot. “I mean, awful.” 

“I'm sure Caitlin and I will provide ample support, Barry,” Wells told him. 

“And I will be happy to sit this one out,” Cisco said.

“You... Ray, why don't you stay here and work on your suit while Barry and I run to Jitters for some java?”

“Sounds like a plan.” He thumbed toward Lexy. “You taking her?”

“In other words, he thinks I need a babysitter and he doesn’t want to be the one to do it, mom.”

She laughed. “Well, one, Lexy doesn’t need a babysitter. She hasn’t for a very long time. And second, if she wants to come with us she can.” She looked at Barry. “Coffee?” 

“Sure.”

The 3 of them walked out together, Lexy texting on her phone. Felicity leaned over. “Who you talking to?”

“Will.”

“What’s up with your brother?” Barry asked.

“He aced his history exam but was wondering if I could help with his math study session while we were here.”

“Do you talk to him a lot?” Barry asked.

“Everyday….almost. Unless I’m being chained up by the League of Assassins.” She seen the shocked look and smiled. “Long story.”

* * *

Back at the lab, Cisco, Carter and Ray were trying to figure out what was going on since it wasn’t Gideon’s fault. Grace sighed, content. She was happy that the 2 of them were getting along so well. She watched as Cisco seemed to zone out. She put a hand on his arm. “You okay?”

He didn’t answer. She shook his arm. “Cisco.”

“Uh...yeah, I’m fine.”

Grace stood in front of him. “Hey, you do know that just because we’re no longer together that you can still tell me anything and it’ll stay between us, right?”

He smiled. “Of course, but I promise I’m okay.”

“ _ Cisco, Grace, we need you up here _ .”

“What’s wrong, Cait?”

“Another bee attack.”

“I’ll get changed.”

* * *

Barry’s phone buzzed. “Another bee attack. Folston Tech.”

Eddie pulled out his phone. “I'll see where Joe is.” 

“Bee careful,” Felicity punned.

Lexy groaned. “Ugh, mom.”

“For real?” 

“Bad pun. Sorry. Just don't die.”

Lexy looked at him. “Want some help?”

“Did you bring anything with you?”

“I always carry the Sparrow with me,” she said, smiling. “Even when she don’t wanna be.”

He laughed. “Come on, Midget.”

* * *

The mission at Folston Tech didn’t go well and Barry almost died, Lexy was stung a couple of times and Grace a few, but her meta-human DNA was able to fight off the toxin from the bees. At the lab, they waited for the venom to be out of Barry’s system and he happily rushed into dinner.

Grace looked at him suspiciously. “Are you sure? I mean, we’re all totally cool if you wanna cancel, Big Brother.”

He smiled. “I know and thank you, Gracie, but I’m fine. Hungry, but fine.”

Grace looked up at Carter. “Okay. Be my date?”

Felicity stopped. “Wait I thought….”

Cisco shook his head. “Nope. We’re no longer together. Still friends….the best of friends, but no longer together.” 

“Ahh...okay.” 

Carter nodded. “And to answer your question, Gracie, I’d love to be your date.”

“Mom, I’m gonna stay here. Order from Big Belly Burger.”

“Okay, Sweetheart. If you need me just call.”

“Always,” she said. “Have fun. Don’t get into too much trouble. And tonight, just be yourselves, not the superheroes, okay?”

Barry nodded. “Promise.”

* * *

They got to the restaurant and greeted Iris and Eddie. They walked into the dining area and Iris stopped Barry. “How’d he get a reservation here? We’ve been trying to for months.”

“I don’t know,” he muttered.

Carter looked at Eddie. “Um….not trying to step on toes but uh...I just heard Iris say that you’ve been trying to get in here.” He smiled innocently. “Whenever you want I can help.” He shrugged. “It’s one of the perks of being a billionaire--”

“You mean like buying out an entire restaurant for the night,” Grace said looking up at him.

“Uh...yeah….”

Grace scoffed in disbelief. “Just a tip. We don’t do this...ever.”

They walked to their seats and Carter held her chair out for her. “Babe, the only time I’d ever buy out a restaurant is if we were having a party.”

Felicity looked at Grace curiously. “You’re already at ‘we’?”

“They’ve always been a we,” Iris answered. She looked across the table at Grace. “Your dress looks amazing on you. I keep telling you I want your--”

“Iris Ann West, your legs are fine,” Grace said sternly. “I’m sure there is at least one person at this table who would never complain.”

The evening pretty much went down hill from there. Eddie and Iris got into argument which made the rest of them feel uncomfortable. Grace exhaled and looked at Eddie. “Hey, um...I’ll talk to her. It seems I’ve gotten pretty good at talking down a West temper over the last fifteen years.” She stood and kissed Carter on the cheek. “I’ll be back.”

She jogged awkwardly out of the dinning room and caught up to Iris. “Hey!”

Iris sighed. “Grace, get back inside.”

“No,” she said. “Come on. You can’t be mad at Eddie over something that he can’t tell you.”

“Really?” Iris stopped and looked at her. “Does Carter tell you everything?”

“Yes, he always has, but Carter’s also not a police officer, Iris.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?!” She exclaimed.

“Everything!” she yelled. “You, Barry and I know first hand that sometimes officers and detectives can’t tell family everything because they don’t want to bring home the bad that they see every day.” She walked to her sister. “Did you ever think  of that or did you go one track and think immediately that he was keeping something from you?”

“He is--”

“Did you ever think that it’s for your own good?”

“What?”

She sighed. “Iris, I love you, but sometimes you make it really hard to try to keep you out of whatever you don’t need to know.”

“I need to know--”

“No, you don’t!” She yelled. “Just because you now have a press credentials card doesn’t mean that it gives you license to know everything. There are just some things that Eddie can’t tell you because it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with his job.”

Iris scoffed and stormed off. 

Grace groaned in frustration and stormed back into the restaurant. “If she wasn’t my sister I might have actually punched her,” she stated joining them again. 

“Didn’t go well?” Barry asked.

She shook her head. “Nope and now I want a shot.”

“No,” Carter told her. He moved her wine in front of her and then put his behind that. “Drink my wine.”

She sighed. “Why does she have to be so damn stubborn?”

Barry’s phone buzzed. “We gotta go. Emergency at S.T.A.R. Labs.”

They all quickly stood and rushed out.

* * *

They discover after catching one of the bees that the bees are robotic. They cross-reference that with the victims and discover that they worked for Mercury Labs. They go talk to Tina McGee about who it could be and get a name: Brie Larvan.

Grace walked into the house to see Barry and Iris sitting on the couch talking about Eddie. She held her hand up. “Don’t worry. Not staying. I’ll be spending the night at Carter’s tonight.”

“Can you do that?” Barry asked. “I mean, Carter told me about how you can’t seem to--”

She sighed. “Don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“Grace, wait,” Iris said. “Barry told me the same thing you did. I wanted to apologize.”

She sighed and walked over to her, sitting on the other side of Barry. “As I said, I love you, but there just some things he can’t tell you.”

* * *

The entire team showed up to the lab and Barry demanded to know how to stop the bees.

Carter turned to Felicity. “Felicity think you can help me hack the bees and have them short circuit.”

“Yeah,” she agreed and Carter slid into another seat to continue to help her hack.

Grace looked at Felicity. “Thank you. With his allergy it’s best he stays here.” She exhaled and kissed his lips real quick. “Promise to be careful.”

He nodded. “That’s all I ask.” He looked at Barry. “You too.”

They come up with a plan to have Barry and Grace take out Brie while Ray protects Tina. 

********************

They found the abandoned greenhouse that Brie was staying at. “It's over, Brie. I know you're trying to kill Dr. McGee. You think that she betrayed you. I can imagine how that feels.”

“You think you understand the sting of betrayal? I'll show you what it means to be stung.”

Grace took off in flight while Barry ran, the bees chasing them both. “Uh...a little help here.”

“Trying, Baby, but you’re going to have to hang on. We’re almost there.”

In the lab, Felicity celebrated for a second. “Yes! I’m in! Barry, Grace, I hacked into the bees' frequency. I'm controlling them.” She continued her hacking. “Oh, she's good. She's like my nemesis. I've never had a nemesis before. I kind of like it.”

Lexy snickered. “Not the time, mom.”

“Right, sorry.”

“She hasn't met a meta like me,” He activates his Crash! Hacking ability and scrambles Brie’s signal. “Now Felicity, cause them to self destruct.” 

Lexy gasped. “I didn’t….how did you do that?”

“I am literally a human-computer thanks to the particle accelerator exploding.”

Lexy laughed. “That is so cool! You’ll have to tell me what else you can do.” She hugged him around his shoulders. “By the way, I think you and Grace are perfect together, but why are you two tiptoeing around each other like that?”

“Well….funny you should ask that.” He cleared his throat and began, “We’ve been waiting a very long time to be together and now that it’s here we can’t seem to…..you know….but I think Grace is afraid we’re moving too fast. And plus, I don’t want to make things awkward between me and Cisco again. We’re actually really cool with each other right now. It’d suck to be back at square one.”

“But how could that happen if he gave you the all clear to go for it? He wants Grace happy and he knows you can make her happy so he’s telling you guys to go for it.”

He shrugged. She smiled and tapped his shoulders. “Stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself.” She kissed his cheek. “That’s one thing I’ve had to learn with my own relationship with everyone around me.”

* * *

The next day, Grace went to the apartment she used to share with Cisco and knocked. He opened it and smiled. “Hey.” He stepped back to let her in.

“Hi. We need to talk.”

“About what?” he asked closing the door.

“Why you’ve been zoning out lately.” She looked into his face. “Cisco, this is me being your friend. Please, let me in. I can’t help you unless you tell me.”

“I don’t even know what it means.”

“Well, tell me and I’ll see if I can help you.”

He sighed. “It’s like a dream, but I also feel like I’ve lived it too.” He proceeded to tell him what had happened with Wells. That he had revealed himself to be the Reverse-Flash. 

Grace gasped. “Oh, my God! Why didn’t you say something?”

He shook his head. “Because it’s crazy, Grace!”

“No, Cisco, it’s not.” She sighed. “Okay, um...I can’t tell you everything right now, but uh...trust me when I tell you this...it’s not crazy. It really isn’t.”

“Wells can’t be the Reverse-Flash.” She didn’t say anything and Cisco continued, “He’s in a wheelchair. He’s paralyzed.”

She nodded. “Or so he wants everyone to believe, but I swear sometimes during our crises we’ve had it was almost like he wanted to stand or something. Cisco, you know me. I don’t lie. There has always been something really off about Harrison Wells. I’ve always chalked it up to being protective of you or even Barry, but with what I know now it’s not.”

She glanced at her watch and sighed. “Staff meeting. I gotta go.” She kissed his cheek. “We’ll figure this all out. We always do.”

He nodded. “Right.”

* * *

Grace walked up the stairs of Carter’s home and knocked. She waited. He opened the door and smiled. “Hey, Cricket.”

“Hey.” She walked into the house and kissed his lips. “We need to talk. And not about us. I need to ask you a science question.”

“Okay. Come on in. Want some coffee?”

“Please.” She walked into the kitchen with him and sat at the island. “So, I went over to Cisco’s this morning to see what has been going on with him and he told me--do you remember me telling you that Barry hopped timelines when he ran so fast?”

“Right. He talked to us both about it. What’s it got to do with Cisco?”

“Everything, I think. He told me that lately he’s been having these dreams that Wells reveals himself to him--that he’s the Reverse-Flash and everything. And then he kills him.”

She watched his face go slightly white. “Oh, my God...seriously?”

She nodded. “Do you think it’s possible for something like the Particle Accelerator to happen and someone just now getting their powers?”

He nodded. “Oh, absolutely. If something traumatic triggered them absolutely. It’s just like with you and me. If we let them our powers would wreak havoc when our emotions are. Do you think that’s what happened with Cisco?”

She nodded. “It’s the only explanation. I think Cisco can see other timelines.”

* * *

Awhile later, Grace and Carter walked into Barry’s lab. “We need to tell them, Bar.”

“I know. I already planned on it. That’s why I called you both here.”

“Are we even sure how they’ll take it?” Carter asked. “I mean, I’d hate for you to lose your best friends.”

“Me too, but they need to know,” Barry said.

“All right, all right, who's ready for some...karaoke,” Cisco sang the last word. Seeing the solemn looks on all their faces told him everything. 

Caitlin sees the articles and information pinned to the board. “We are not going to karaoke, are we?”

“No.” He stood and walked across to the board. “This is everything we know about my mother's murder and The Reverse-Flash. I've been gathering information on him for a long time.” He pulled down another layer to the board. “And this is everything we know about Dr. Wells.”

Caitlin was confused. “I don't understand. What do Dr. Wells and The Reverse-Flash have to do with each other?”

“Um...they're the same person.”

“That's impossible.” 

“No, Caitlin, it isn’t.”

“But it has to be,” she said, not wanting to believe it. 

“Look, Caitlin, it took me a long time to believe it too, but it's him,” Barry told her, sympathetically. 

“Dr. Wells is a speedster? He's paralyzed.” 

“Is he, though?” Joe asked.

“Joe’s right,” Carter said. “I’ve seen him at least once in the short time I’ve known him to be just about to stand, but stops when he sees me looking.” He sighed. “I don’t think he’s paralyzed at all.”

“What about that ghost syndrome they talk about?” Caitlin asked.

“That’s for amputees. That’s because their minds haven’t made them realize that their limb is gone,” Grace answered. 

“And why would he kill Barry and Grace’s mother? It doesn't make any sense.”

“We don’t know,” Grace said.

“Cisco. Say something,” Caitlin told him.

Grace stepped up to Cisco. “Hey, look at me.”He turned his attention to her. She smiled. “I promise you whatever you tell us stays in the confidence of us. And I promise you none of us will think you’re crazy.” 

He nodded. “I've been having these dreams. Mostly at night, but sometimes during the day. But they don't really feel like dreams. They…” He looked at Grace and she gave him an encouraging nod, “They feel real.”

“What happens in the dream?” Barry asked, concerned. 

“Dr. Wells is The Reverse-Flash. And... he kills me.”

“There may be a reason why they seem like dreams, but they’re not,” Carter told him.

“Me and Carter have a theory. And this may be totally crazy. That it may be possible that Cisco was affected by the particle accelerator explosion and that it took Barry's time traveling the day Mardon came to tow. To trigger it, with Wells killing him being the trigger that hurtled his powers to the surface.”

“My powers?” Cisco asked.

“Yeah,” Carter said gently. “Cisco, we think you can see other timelines, other events that happened in that timeline.”

“Like the future?” Caitlin asked.

“No,” Grace answered. “Not really. These events would have actually happened.” She walked over to her brother’s desk and picked up his marker and a legal pad. She drew a line. “Okay. So….here’s our current timeline. The Civil War happened and all that. World War II, etc.”

“Right.”

“However, there could be another timeline where the same events happened but they had a different outcome.” She sighed. “Like when Barry time traveled. The first timeline he was on showed us fighting Mardon. But when he went through the day to the end, it would have ended disastrous for us so he changed it. Made another outcome happen.” She looked at Cisco. “Carter and I believe you can see the other timeline too. The one where the same events happened just with a different outcome. Like you dying and the tidal wave that would have hit the city had Barry not changed everything.”

Cisco’s mind was whirling. He was a meta? “So I have the power to see alternate events and outcomes like a clairvoyant or something?”

“Well, yes,” Carter said trying to ease them into the realization.

Barry smiled. “And that gives us our biggest edge against Wells.” 

Caitlin can’t believe what she’s hearing. Everyone was believing this crazy story. “Stop I can't take this. We can't just accuse someone of something like this. “Wells can't be….Wells he just can't….” She walks out of Barry's lab.

“What’s the next thing we do?”

“Let’s go back to the house. Barry can go get some pizza and we’ll talk about this further. I’ll call Caitlin and have her meet us there,” Grace said. 


	30. Who Is Harrison Wells

Everyone had come to the West house for the little pow-wow. Even Caitlin was there, even though she was sitting on the stairs. “Hey, Carter, let me ask you something,” Joe said walking over to the tall man.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Would you like to come with us to Starling City?”

“Um...sure, if it’s cool with Cisco,” he commented.

Cisco smiled and walked over to them. “I suggested he invite you.”

He smiled. “Then I’d love to.”

Barry got there with the pizzas and everyone dug in. “Okay, six months of investigating Harrison Wells has led us nowhere, so we're going back to the beginning to see what we can find out.”

“What does that mean?” 

“Road trip, baby,” Cisco said, clanging his bottle with Joe’s. 

Joe, Carter, and Cisco are going to go to Starling City,” Barry answered. 

“Starling City? What for?” Caitlin asked. 

“To investigate the car accident that Dr. Wells was in with Tess Morgan 15 years ago.”

“I... I don't understand. Why?”

“Dr. McGee said that after Wells's accident, he became like a complete stranger. Just a different person entirely.” 

“Because the love of his life died? You of all people can understand how grief can change a person.” 

Grace nodded, clearing her mouth of the all meat and cheese pizza. “You’re right, Caitlin, you do go through a change when someone important to you dies, but your personality after the grief isn’t supposed to do a complete one-eighty.”

“Caitlin, we believe that Dr. Wells is the Reverse-Flash and killed Barry and Grace's mother, and he may have done the same thing to Tess Morgan. We have to learn everything we can about that night. See where it leads us.”

Cisco looked at Caitlin. “Oh, um, can you cover for me with Dr. Wells?”

“You mean lie?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I need some air.”

“Doesn't look like Caitlin's with us,” Joe said.

“No, she's with us. I'll talk to her.” 

“What do you want us to do here?” Eddie asked. 

“Business as usual while we're gone.”

“Copy that.” 

“Well, I want to wish you good luck over there, but I'm also scared of what you might find.”

“Scared is a good thing. Scared keeps us alive.” 

Grace looked at Cisco. “Be careful okay?”

He nodded. “Promise. You and Carter okay?”

She shrugged. “He won’t ask me out.”

He smirked. “So, you ask him out.”

“What?”

He laughed. “Gracie, honey, if you continue to wait for it to happen for you it might not happen. So, take it by the horns--or whatever the saying is--and just do it.”

She laughed and hugged him. Carter looked at Grace. “You coming home with me?”

“Yeah, just a second.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I’ll talk to you when you get back.”

*********************

The next morning Grace walked into her office and began putting her stuff away when Iris walked in. “Good morning,” Grace said smiling.

“Morning. Have you talked to dad at all?”

She shook her head. “Not since last night. Why?”

“Did he tell you that he wouldn’t be reachable?”

She shook her head. “No. Maybe he’s taking a couple of personal days.”

“Dad doesn’t take personal days.”

She sighed quietly. “Iris, I don’t know where dad is. I’m sorry. However, I’ll call him and leave a message and if he contact me I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you,” she said and walked out. Grace quickly pulled out her phone and texted Eddie and Barry.  **Head’s up. Iris is looking for dad!**

About a half an hour or so later, Grace picked up her jacket and walked out of the office. She headed out, she wanted to talk to Barry about something. As she headed downtown, she got another text telling her that Carter, Joe and Cisco made it to Starling okay. She smiled and texted back:  **Glad to hear it. Miss you. Call me tonight.**

Seconds later another came in:  **Count on it. Love you.**

She smiled. What was the harm in saying it if you felt it?  **Love you. Talk later.**

As she headed through downtown she saw Eddie chasing someone and caught up to the guy before he could. She got to Eddie just as the guy slammed him against the light pole. She slipped out of her shoes and she walked up to him, tapping the guy on the shoulder. He turned and she punched him in the face and took out one of his kneecaps with a flat kick. She straightened and looked at Eddie. “You okay?”

He nodded. She smiled and they both began fighting him. After kicking their asses (Grace can’t use her powers in the open public like this), the mystery man took off running. Barry caught up to him as Grace helped Eddie to his feet.

Barry came back minutes later and looked at them both. “You two okay?”

They nodded. Grace looked at her brother. “For the record I would have done better if I could have used my powers. Lexy’s been teaching me to use my powers with the way I fight.”

He smiled and kissed her hair. “I know.” 

“So, where is he?”

“Well, the  _ he  _ is now a  _ she _ and a teenager at that.”

“What…?” Eddie and Grace said in unison.

He nodded. “Yeah. We gotta go tell Caitlin.”

************************

“Hey, you’ll never figure out what Barry discovered about this new meta?” Grace said as a way of a greeting.

“What?” Caitlin asked.

“It’s a shapeshifter.”

“A shape-shifter?” Caitlin asked. 

They both of them nodded, but Barry said, “Yeah, I literally saw a grown man, like, m... morph into a teenage girl.”

“That's fascinating. Today's physicists have always regarded programmable matter as nothing more than a theory, but I guess your shape-shifter proves it can be done.”

“Wait, so he, or she, or I... whatever. This person can actually transform into anyone they touch?” 

“Yes, it appears so. That includes you, Mr. Allen.” 

“Dr. Wells is right. If you are touched while you're the Flash, and he transforms into you, we run the risk of him exposing that Barry Allen is the man behind the mask. Because at this point we don't know if the shape-shifter is capable of absorbing more that just your physical characteristics.”

“Like he might be able to copy my speed?”

“Or even Grace’s powers,” Caitlin added. 

“That would be bad,” Grace and Wells said in unison. 

Barry added, “Got it. Hands off the meta-human.”

“Hands off the meta-human.”

“So how do we find someone who can transform into anyone?” 

“We, I guess like any problem, you just go back to the beginning. In this case, that would mean finding the first person the shape-shifter morphed into when they discovered their powers.”

Grace smiled. “I have an idea.” She looked at Caitlin. “May I?”

She nodded. “Yeah, your boyfriend sits there most of the time.”

“My what?” she asked typing information into the computer.

“Carter,” she said. “Your boyfriend.”

She rolled her eyes, smiling. She continued to quickly rush over the keys.

“Whatcha doing?” Barry asked.

“Cracking into the CCPD records and pulling up any cases where the suspects claim to be innocent--”

“How’d you know that?”

“Because if it was me and a crime was being committed with my face I’d be telling people all the time that it wasn’t them.”

“Tell me again where you learned to hack?” Barry asked.

She smiled. “Carter taught me. He’s been hacking since we were eight.”

“Wow…” Caitlin muttered.

“What?”

“You two do have a history,” she said.

She nodded. “Almost twenty years worth.” She smiled. “Here we go. The first guy that claims he didn’t do anything wrong is Jacob Fisher. He claims he was being setup by his best friend Hannibal Bates….” She looked up at her brother. “Hannibal?” She scoffed. “And I thought your full name was bad.”

“Shut up,” he laughed. “When did he start?”

“About a month after the Accelerator exploded.”

********************

**STARLING CITY….**

The SCPD was busy today. The phones were ringing off the hook and people were talking. Carter stood with Joe and Cisco, waiting for Captain Lance to come back with the accident report.Cisco looked at Carter. “You okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Just in my head.”

“Oh, that’s never good for a brain like you,” Joe teased. “What’s up?”

He smiled. “Something you don’t want to know about, Detective.”

He smiled. “Tell me anyway.”

“Well, um….I’ve been wanting to ask Grace out...on a date, but….”

“But what?” Cisco asked.

He exhaled. “I just don’t know if it’s the right...time,” he said.

“Time?”

He nodded, eying Cisco. Cisco caught the look and sighed. “Carter, look, man, I appreciate the kid gloves really, but Grace and I are cool. To be honest with you I don’t think we would have lasted anyway.”

“Why?” Joe asked.

“Because we  _ were  _ in two different places while trying to be in the same place at the same time.” He shook his head. “It would have never worked. I see that just as she did.” He tapped Carter on teh back. “You and Grace have been waiting almost ten years to be together don’t wait any longer or you may miss your opportunity.”

He smiled. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem.” He smiled. “Just for an FYI, she’s been wanting to go to  _ Solo Mio _ since it opened.”

“Is that that new Spanish place by the water that just opened a couple of months ago?” Carter asked.

He nodded. Captain Lance approached and handed over the file. “There it is.” This is all you have? Well, it's a pretty cut and dry case, Detective. Harrison Wells, Tess Morgan are out on a Sunday drive, the tires blow, Wells loses control, and, uh... sadly Tess dies on the scene. Couldn't imagine carrying that kind of guilt around. So, uh... what are you two hoping to find?”

Carter’s phone rang and he smiled at Lance. “Excuse me. Girlfriend.” He answered, “Hey Sweetheart.”

“Hey, Uncle Carter, it’s me. Do you think we could meet. I’d come to you but um….the Sparrow is kind of wanted right now.”

“Sure. Where did you say that cheesecake you wanted was?” he said as he approached the group again. 

She smiled. “You’re at the precinct.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Meet me at the loft. I have a favor to ask of you and Aunt Grace.”

“Okay. I’ll pick it up and let’s hope it stays fresh for when I get home.” He smiled. “Bye.”

“Whatever you need,” Captain Lance said. 

“Captain, I need those witness statements for the Joshua Brown trial.” Laurel asked her father.

“Um, yeah, well, like I told you, end of day. Sorry, uh, Detective West, Cisco Ramon, Dr. Carter Stephens, this is A.D.A. Laurel Lance.”

“Related?” West asked. 

“Daughter.”

They shook hands. Laurel pointed at Carter. “You’re the new billionaire in Central City that’s been voted in like Titans Magazine as the man to marry, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“But he’s not single anymore,” Cisco told her. “He’s dating someone.” He smiled at his friend. “And it’s getting serious. I’d say in a few months there might even be an announcement.”

Carter laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Cisco.”

“Just trust me.” He smiled at Laurel.

“You work at S.T.A.R. Labs with Barry Allen, right?” Laurel asked. 

“Uh, yeah.”

“Can I talk to you privately for a minute?”

“Sure.”

“I was gonna meet a friend while we were here.” He looked at Joe. “Where did the accident happen?”

He handed him the folder. Carter read it and nodded. “Okay. I’ll meet you there.” He looked at Lance. “Where’s Merced?”

“Um…” he told him how to get there. “Who you meeting?”

“An old friend I met in New York.” He excused himself and left, telling Joe he’d meet him and Cisco at the accident scene.

*************************

Grace groaned and padded around for her phone. She answered without looking at the caller ID, “This had better be good.”

“Eddie’s been arrested!”

She heard the fright and concern in her sister’s voice and immediately bolted upright. “What?” she asked. “For what?”

“For shooting two cops, apparently,” Iris told her. “Oh, God, Grace.”

“Don’t move. I’m coming to get you.”

“Okay.” 

Grace hung up the phone and quickly changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of jeans and shirt. She picked up her phone and ran out, grabbing her keys on the way out the door. She called Barry. “What in the hell is going on?”

“Hannibal touched Eddie at some point and transformed, shot two cops and now the ADA wants to charge him and put him in Iron Heights.”

Grace got into her car and brought it to life. “Fucking fantastic!” she exclaimed. “I go home for the night because you tell me that you and Eddie got it and I wake up to Iris freaking out because her boyfriend’s been accused of shooting two cops.”

“Sorry, Gracie.”

She sighed. “It’s fine.”

**********************

Joe held up a picture of the scene from 15 years ago and then looked at the street today. “This is definitely the place.” 

“Hey, sorry, I’m late,” Carter said.

“Late night?” Lance asked.

Carter laughed. “Not for what you think. I was talking to Grace--”

“Girlfriend?”

“Not--”

“Yes,”Joe said. “And my adoptive daughter. She’s Barry’s sister.”

“Oh,” he said. 

Joe smiled. “Carter and Grace just started dating and he refuses to see that the two of them were made for each other.”

He laughed. “Shut up.” He looked around. “So where did this happen?”

“Cisco, let's see what we can find.”

Cisco went to the trunk. “What is that?” Lance asked. “A, uh, metal detector?” 

“Uh, essentially. Only instead of listening for metal objects, I'm listening for anything that emits a abnormal sound wave.” He smiled, clicked his tongue and walked away.

Lance laughed. “Right. Where'd you find this kid?”

“It's a long story. So, it must be interesting having a daughter who is also the D.A.”

“Yeah, interesting's the word.”

“I have a daughter of my own.”

“Grace right? Same line of work?”

“No, I wouldn't let her anywhere near this nonsense. And Grace isn’t my only daughter. Both of them are not in this line of work. However, Grace does help save people.”

“Smart guy.” 

“Overprotective.” 

“You three get along?” 

“We don't always see eye to eye, but no matter how mad they get at me or how mad I get at them, there's a strong bond. Why? You two have a bit of a rough patch?”

“Yeah, she, uh... she kept something from me, you know, something important. Lied to me about it for months. Hard to come back from something like that.” 

“Mm. She give a reason?”

“Not one I could accept. Ah. Well, sometimes we lie for love. Especially when it comes to family, right?”

Carter walked over and grabbed the shovel as Cisco yelled for Joe. “I’ll dig,” Carter said.

“Thanks, Buddy.”

He smiled. “Grace would kill me if you had a heart attack.”

He laughed and playfully shoved the younger man. “Now you shut up.”

They started digging and awhile later, they found what looked like a hand. As they tried to collect themselves, Carter’s phone buzzed with a text message, he looked at it:

**[To Carter/9:45am]: When you coming home? Everything seems to be falling apart here. Barry’s acting really strange, Carter. Like really weird. And Eddie’s been arrested...for something he didn’t do. I swear! I need you!**

“Oh, damn.”

“What’s the matter?” Joe asked.

Carter showed him the message. He and Joe exchanged a wordless look that told the both of them everything. Cisco looked at the 2 men. “What’s up?” Carter showed him. “Oh, man. Does she say that a lot?”

He shook his head. “Grace is one of the strongest women I know. You have to be to be through what she has been. But the only time she’s ever used that phrase is when she’s feeling lost and she needs something familiar.” He texted back:  **From Carter/10:00am]: Hang in there, Baby. We’re almost done here. Just be careful and dad and I will be home soon. I love you.** He looked at Cisco. “If I show you what I wrote you promise not to hit me again?”

He laughed. “Promise,” he said. 

Carter showed him the text. Cisco nodded. “Will that work? She always thought me saying ‘hang in there’ was downplaying it.”

Carter shrugged. “It always seems to.” 

Cisco shrugged. “Anyway. I wonder what’s going on?”

“I have no idea. Let’s get this over with and get home.”

***************************

“GRACE! GRACE!”

Grace turned and looked at her sister. “What?”

“I have to show you something!” she said and rushed Grace back into her office, shutting the door behind them both. “You’ve got to see this.”

“What…?” 

Iris played the tape for her of Eddie shooting the cops. “Did you see it?”

Grace’s eyes narrowed as she studied. “Play it again.” 

Iris played it back and Grace watched, she then straightened. “Eddie’s not left-handed.”

Iris nodded. “Right.”

“What in the hell is going on?”

“Let’s find Barry.”

******************************

They got to S.T.A.R. Labs and Grace looked at Iris. “Okay. You go talk to Caitlin. I’m going to go talk to Dr. Wells about something.”

She nodded. “Okay. Thanks for believing me, Gracie.”

She smiled and hugged her. “Anytime. You’re my big sister. I’ll always believe you.” 

They walked into the building and Grace went to Wells. “Harrison.”

“Yes, Ms. Allen.”

“We have a problem.”

******************************

As promised, The Flash and Gaia defeated Hannibal Bates and released Eddie. And they locked Hannibal away in their prison. They walked down the plank and Grace stopped. “Big Brother?”

“Yeah, Kiddo?”

“You okay?”

He nodded. “I’m great.”

She smiled and held out her hand. He wrapped it around her shoulders. He kissed her hair. “So, when’s Carter coming home?”

“He texted me to tell me they were on their way. So….sometime between now and tonight?”

He nodded. “Good.”

“However, Joe said that he wanted us and Caitlin to meet in your lab. They found something in Starling.”

He nodded. He looked at Caitlin. “What about Dr. Wells?”

“Come here. I need to show you something.”

**************************

They walked into Barry’s lab and Grace walked over to the body. “Who is this?”

“This is the real Harrison Wells.”

She shot Joe, Carter and Cisco a look. “What?”

“This isn't possible,” Caitlin said, stunned. 

“Caitlin, I ran the DNA test twice. It's a perfect match,” Cisco assured her.

“This body is the real Harrison Wells.”

“If this is Dr. Wells, then who have we been working for this whole time?”

“Who did I trust myself and Barry with?” Grace asked. 

“Dr. McGee said that after the accident, Wells became a completely different person. It's because he is a different person.”

“Yeah, but who?” Grace looked up at her brother. “There’s no one that we know, that mom and daddy knew that would do all of this, Barry.”

“I know, Kiddo. Like always as long as we stick together we’ll figure it out.” 

Carter looked at the group. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What’s up?” Caitlin asked.

“Has either of you--the four of you--ever looked at the blueprints for this place?”

“No….” Grace. “Baby, why would we? Barry and I never had a reason to.”

Barry looked at his old friend. “What did you find out?”

“What?” Cisco asked. “How can you tell?”

Barry smirked and flicked his forehead. “Right there!”

“Ow!” he laughed. “Jerk!”

Barry laughed. Cisco looked at them. “What about it?”

“Just like with Grace when she’s fuming mad, her brow furrows,” Barry said.

“It does?” Cisco asked.

Carter nodded. “Yes, Sir.” He rubbed the spot on her forehead where it furrows the most. “Right there.” He rubbed between the bridge of her nose. 

She batted his hands away. “Stop it.” She smiled at Carter. “However, Carter’s brow doesn’t furrow. It creases when he’s found something he doesn’t understand.”

“Dang. I wish I knew someone that well,” Cisco said. 

Carter laughed. “We’re just weird like that.” He looked at everyone. “Come on. It’s back at the lab.”

***********************

They got back to the lab and Carter easily brought the computer to life. Cisco started to lean over to touch it. “Don’t!”

“What? Why?” Caitlin asked.

“Well, one, we have no idea who this guy is now that we know that he isn’t Harrison Wells.” Carter looked at his friends. “If for some reason he has the ability and does do it I don’t want anyone’s fingerprints on anything right now.”

“So...what are we doing here?”

Carter quickly hacked into the system by just staring at the computer screen and then brought up the schematics to the building. He looked at Grace. “Cricket, do you see it?” he asked as he swiped through the blueprints of the building.

She leaned forward and looked. “Wait,” she said. “Back up, Einstein.” 

He backed up one and she seen it. “Right there,” she said pointing without touching it. “Do you see it?”

Caitlin looked at it. “Is that a secret room?”

Barry looked at everyone. “Why would he need a secret room?”

“Let’s go find out.” Grace had always loved mystery. Which is why she became a reporter first.

Carter looked at Cisco. “Where did you put your detector?”

“I’ll go get it.”

They walked out into the hall, following the schematics and Cisco scanned the wall. He found the high levels of tachyons. Barry pressed his hands to the wall. He moved his hands around and the door opened. He turned and looked at everyone. Grace took Carter’s hand and they walked in after Cisco and Caitlin.

As soon as they passed through the wall closed back up. The lights to a suit case lit up to reveal the Reverse-Flash’s suit. “Oh, my God…” Caitlin muttered.

“Holy shit….” Grace said. “Barry.”

The lights to the rest of the room came on and they were in a white room with walls that had a weird bubbled texture. Grace dropped Carter’s hand and looked around. “What in the world is this place?”

Carter saw the podium and what was glimpsing into. “Uh...Barry...Grace. You...You gotta see this.”

**April 25, 2024**

**_FLASH MISSING_ **

**_VANISHES IN CRISIS_ **

“Oh, my God….” Grace breathed.

“What the frak,” Cisco said.


	31. The Trap

“This is crazy!” Grace exclaimed.

" _ Flash missing. Vanishes in crisis _ ”,” Cisco quoted.

“" _ After an epic street battle with the Reverse-Flash, "our city's very own Scarlet Speedster disappeared in an explosion of light." _ ”

“An explosion of light?” Grace asked. “What the heck?”

“That’s not all,” Carter said. “Listen to this… ‘ _ During the battle with the Reverse-Flash. The Flash’s sister, Gaia was injured and has been in a coma since the Flash disappeared _ .”

“Barry, look at the date,” Caitlin said softly. 

“‘April 25th, 2024’.” 

“I’d be thirty-two,” Grace whispered. She looked at Carter and Barry. “I go in a coma at thirty-two? And you disappear at thirty-five?”

Carter took her hand as Barry spoke. “Guys, when Grace and I fought the Reverse-Flash at Christmas, he said that we'd be fighting for centuries.”

“Wait, you can't really think that this is from... the future.”

“That would mean Dr. Wells, or whoever he is, is also…”

“From the future.”

“I have to say, I'm really digging the brighter red suit. And the white on the symbol?” He smiled. “That's dope.” He paused, “Wait a second. Suppose we now change the color on your suit. Will it be because we got the idea from this picture? That would mean we're living in a causal nexus. This... wow. This is so trippy. Like, Marty and the Polaroid trippy.”

“Not as trippy as the names on the byline.” 

“Iris West-Allen?” Barry said. 

Carter looked at the other name and so did Grace. She was the one who said it, “‘Grace Allen-Stephens’? Really?” She looked at Carter “Why would you let me hyphenate--”

“I wouldn’t let you do anything. If you hyphenate it’s because you want to not because I let you.”

“Mazel tov?” Cisco said, unsure.

“Hebrew.”

Caitlin gasped.

“Wait a second….”

“Ancient language of the Jewish people.”

“Uh-uh. What the hell was that?”

“Is someone here? Hello?”

A blue-white see-through head popped up. “Good evening, Barry Allen.”

“Uh... H-hi.” He stammered. “You know who I am?”

“Of course. Barry Allen, director of Central City Police, CSI Division.”

“Director?”

“I guess you get a promotion,” Cisco said.

“Also known as The Flash. Founding member of…”

“Who am I?” Carter interjected before she could continue.

“Dr. Carter Stephens. Director of S.T.A.R. Labs.”

“Director of S.T.A.R. Labs? Cisco asked. “Congratulations?”

“Uh...yeah. Thanks.”

“Inventor. Husband of Grace Allen-Stephens. Also known as Matrix.”

“Me?” Grace asked. 

“Grace Allen-Stephens, Co-Director of S.T.A.R. Labs and it’s Public Relations director. Co-founder of the Central City Citizen. Also known as Gaia.”

“What are you?” 

“I am Gideon, an interactive artificial consciousness.”

“Gideon?!” Grace exclaimed. “That means...that I….”

“AI. Sick.” 

“You know Dr. Wells?” Barry asked.

“Yes.” 

“Do you know who he really is?” 

“I don't understand the question.”

“I... I mean, what is he doing here? W-why did he come here?” 

“To kill you.”

“What?!” Carter and Grace exclaimed. Grace’s head felt like it was going to explode. “Why?”

Cisco’s phone vibrated. “Wells is in the building.” 

“What? How do you know that?”

“I put a tracker on his wheelchair. Which, if we're wrong about him and he is paralyzed, I'm going to hell for that one. He's in the Cortex. Ask questions fast,” Cisco told them. 

“Why did he kill Nora Allen?”

“Because he was angry.”

“About what?” Carter asked.

“That the Flash escaped.” 

“He's on B level. He's coming this way.” 

“What does he want from me?”

“For you to be The Flash.”

“And me?”

“You had to become Gaia for Barry to become the Flash. You’re a team. You’ve done your best work together.”

“Maybe that's why Wells let the particle accelerator explode so that you could become The Flash and Grace to become Gaia.”

“Why? I mean, for what reason?”

“Guys, we got to go. He's almost here. Hurry.”

“All right.”

“Wait a second. Wait. What if HAL over there tells Wells that we were in here?”

“That would be bad.”

“If I can get into its operating system, maybe I can disable its memory core.”

“Gideon, can you show us where your operating system is?”

“Certainly.”

Cisco laughed. “Yeah. Nope. That's not gonna happen.”  

“Guys, he's in the corridor.” 

“Gideon, could you just, like, not tell him that we were here?” Barry asked.

“Of course. I will accept any command given to me by you.”

“Barry.”

“Come on. We got to get out of here.” 

“Wait, wait, wait. Why would you accept my commands?”

“You helped create me.”

“Helped create you?” Grace asked. “I created you.”

“Yes, you did. You, Dr. Stephens and Barry Allen created what you see now.”

Carter nodded. “Makes sense.” He sighed. “Gideon, please, do not tell Dr. Wells we were here.”

“Of course, Carter.”

They got out of the room just before they were caught by Wells.

****************************

When Joe and Eddie got to the house, they proceeded to tell them what had happened with the little room and all that. 

“Really? For five very smart people, that was really stupid. What if Wells had caught you in that…” Joe said tossing his coat onto the couch.

“Time Vault,” Cisco added. 

“Thank you.” 

“Okay, I know we've seen a lot this past year, but time travel?”

“I did it. Or I will do it, I mean.”

“Excuse me?”

“One of the two speedsters in Barry's house the night his mother died was Barry. I mean, The Flash. He was there. Which means that one day in the future, Barry will travel back in time to that night.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah. It’s a lot.”

“Actually, I wasn't talking about that. I kind of already time traveled. By accident.”

“What?”

“I was running to try and stop a tsunami from hitting the city…”

“When was that?”

“A few weeks ago. Right before you started getting those dreams.”

“It’s true,” Carter said. “He had asked Grace and I about it afterwards.”

“Oh, you mean the ones where Wells uses his super-speeding hand to shred apart my heart? Those?”

“Yes, right. So, what if they're not dreams? What else could they be? Memories.”

“I'm not following.”

“It’s exactly what Carter and I were talking about a couple of weeks ago. When we gathered to talk about all this.” She looked at Cisco, walked to him. “You remember?”

He nodded. “You said I had some kind of clairvoyance.”

She nodded. “Right.”

“What?” Eddie asked. 

“A couple of ago or so, Cisco had mentioned that he had these dreams and I explained to him that Carter and I didn’t believe they were dreams.”

“What else could they be?” Caitlin asked.

“Glimpses,” Carter said. “We think that somehow having the Reverse-Flash kill Cisco in that other timeline may have awaken Cisco’s abilities. He can see things before they happened and he can see events before they happen or see alternate endings to events. We’re not exactly sure which yet.”

“If it never happened, how can Cisco remember it?” 

“I don't know.” He looked at Cisco. “I don't know.”

“Because it did happen,” Grace said. She looked at Barry. “You told me things about that timeline that only someone who would have known if they had lived it.”

He nodded. “Right.”

“But it didn’t--” Joe insisted. 

“That’s because Barry stopepd it and changed what actually happened.”

“I think the important thing is, he does. Guys, I think I've got a really bad idea.”

Carter snickered. “Of course you do.” He looked at Barry. “Will it get me ground for two months again?” He smirked. “Cuz I gotta say the first time that happened it wasn’t fun.”

Barry laughed. “You were only grounded from seeing Grace or playing with her anymore.”

She laughed. “All right you two.”

“We... we have to access Cisco's memories somehow. Somewhere in his subconscious is the key.”

“The key to what now?”

“Getting our dad out of prison.”

“And how are we going to do that?” 

Grace sighed. “We’re gonna get Wells to confess to our mom’s murder.”

“And I have an idea on how,” Carter said. “I’ve been working on something since Cisco admitted to us what’s been going on with him.” He looked at Barry. “Come back to my house. I’ll show you.”

“Can we come?” Caitlin asked. “I’ve been curious on what your house looks like.”

He laughed. “Then you will be bitterly disappointed, because it’s a regular house. Not a mansion or anything. Just a regular house.”

“Wait,” she said as they walked out. “You’re multi-billionaire and you don’t live in a mansion?”

He shook his head. “Never saw the reason to.” He glanced at Grace. “Besides she would have killed me if I went that far.” He laughed. “She’s allowing me to keep my jet, but if I was to upgrade my house she’d kill me.”

“I love your house.”

He smiled. “So, I’ll see you at my place.” He told them the address. He looked at Grace. “Riding with me?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

********************

Carter pulled into the driveway and turned the car off. “So, um...before we get out, um...I wanted to ask you something.”

“What?” she asked turning to look at him.

“When things slow down for a minute, will you go to dinner with me?”

“As in a real date?”

He nodded. “Even though I wouldn’t count it as our first real date. I’d say our second.”

She laughed. “Right. The fundraiser.” She moved herself and straddled him. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I would love to.”

“Grace.”

She looked down into his face. “Yes?”

“I love you. And I mean, I really truly love you. And if we ever get so lucky as to fulfill the future that the paper said we had then nothing would make me happier than to be your husband.”

She smiled and pressed her lips lightly to his. She kept her mouth close as she said, “I love you, Carter. I know I haven’t said it as much as you have, but I was waiting…” she sighed. “It’s just that when something that feels this perfect for me happens I always expect it to...disappear and, and, and I don’t want to lose you.” She sighed. “I would love nothing more than to someday be your wife. And I like the fact that you’re okay with me hyphenating my name because I’m proud to be Henry Allen’s daughter and I want to tell the world.”

He smiled and kissed her. “As you should be. Your dad’s an amazing man, Grace. One of the best men I know.” 

Her smile widened. “I would love to go to dinner with you when we get a few hours to ourselves without worrying about the Reverse-Flash.” She kissed him again just as the other cars pulled up to the house. “And since it’s our second date maybe I can actually get you naked.”

He laughed as she opened the door and pulled herself out. He got out of the car and she put her hand into his as they walked up to the house. Barry smirked at his sister. “So, you got a key yet?”

She shook her head. “Not yet.”

“I made one yesterday,” Carter admitted. “Just haven’t had time to give it to you.”

He walked them into the house and Caitlin looked around. “Oh, my God...it is a normal house.”

Grace laughed. “What did you expect it to be? Ming Dynasty vases and all that?”

She nodded. “Well yeah. The Queens were billionaires and everything--”

“They still are,” Carter said. “Oliver maintained his money with the selling of QI to Ray Palmer. Thanks to Lexy.”

“You know I always wondered….how can a thirteen year old run a multi-billion dollar company?” Cisco asked looking around.

“She didn’t. She owned it. She had trusted people running it. She now runs her maternal family’s foundation,” Carter informed them. “Speaking of which. Gracie, remind me later to talk to you about the ball that Lexy’s keeping to that her great-grandfather started.”

“Okay.” She waved to the others. “This way. The lab’s back here.” She walked across the house, through the living room, family room and dining room until they got to a wall. She bent forward and typed in a code and the wall slid open. “Come on.”

“You have a secret room too?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I have billion dollar projects in here. I have to secure them. Not only that but an early version of Gideon is in here.”

“Really?” Barry asked. “She’s in here?”

Grace nodded. “Yeah. She’s in Carter’s suit and in that computer,” she said, pointing at a computer at the far wall.

“The project is over here.” He showed them to a pair of glasses and Barry looked at them.

“So, this will allow Cisco to see into his dream?” 

Grace nodded. “I got it from my Psychology journal. There was an article in there  about lucid dream therapy. They think it can be used to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.” She smiled. “So, I asked Carter to make the glasses to help with it.”

“Traumatized, stressed? Check and check.” 

Grace laughed softly. “Right. Well, the theory of the whole thing is that it will help them enter their dreams and face the fear that is causing the PTSD.” She looked at Cisco and smiled. “In this case, the Reverse-Flash.”

“And you're sure this thing isn't gonna, you know, mess with my brain?” 

She laughed softly. “One-hundred percent. Come on lets take it back to the lab and maybe we can start soon on it.”

They all head out and Grace slowed Cisco down. “Hey, are you okay with the foretold future of me and Carter?”

“You mean, that you and he get married and all that?”

She nodded. “Because Cisco, I would never want to hurt you.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “And you’re not. “Like I told you before. It makes total since that you two would end up together. You think alike and act alike and I know from talking to him in Starling that he really, really loves you. Nothing would make me happier than to see you two happily together and making that future come true.” 

She hugged him. “Thank you.”

***************************

They all got into their respective cars, Barry sped off to the Lab. Grace sat in her seat and awaited for them to get to the lab. She reached over and took Carter’s hand. He lifted their joined hands and kissed the top of it. “I love you,” he said softly.

She leaned over and kissed his shoulder. “I love you.”

He smiled when he heard the song that began playing on the radio. “You know when this played I always thought of you,” he admitted, turning a little red.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Sing?”

He sighed softly and began, 

_ When I see your face _ _   
_ _ There's not a thing that I would change 'cause you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ And when you smile _ _   
_ _ The whole world stops and stares for a while _ _   
_ _ 'Cause girl you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ Yeah _ _   
_ _ Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me _ _   
_ _ Her laugh, her laugh she hates but I think it's so sexy _ _   
_ _ She's so beautiful, and I tell her everyday _ _   
_ _ Oh you know, you know, you know I'd never ask you to change _ _   
_ _ If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same _ _   
_ _ So don't even bother asking if you look okay, you know I'll say _ _   
_ _ When I see your face _ _   
_ _ There's not a thing that I would change _ _   
_ _ 'Cause you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ And when you smile _ _   
_ _ The whole world stops and stares for a while _ _   
_ _ 'Cause, girl, you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ The way you are _ _   
_ _ The way you are _ _   
_ _ Girl, you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ When I see your face _ _   
_ _ There's not a thing that I would change _ _   
_ _ 'Cause you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ _ And when you smile _ _   
_ _ The whole world stops and stares for a while _ _   
_ _ 'Cause, girl, you're amazing _ _   
_ _ Just the way you are _ _   
_ __ Yeah

When he parked the car, she leaned over and kissed him deeply. “Come on.”

He nodded. They went inside and Cisco looked at them both, worried. “You sure this is gonna be safe? I don’t want my brain fried or something.”

“Cisco, do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Would I really hurt you?”

“No. Trust me. The amount of electricity that is needed to power this thing will be totally harmless. I promise.”

“Who's going to be lucid dreaming?” 

Grace smiled. “Hey, Dr. Wells.”

“Miss Allen.”

Um…”

Grace took over. “Carter and I were talking the other night and um, we thought with everything going on with the Metas and everything and what people see that it might be precautionary to um be prepared for when people go for psychological issues.”

“And lucid dreaming will help the doctors better understand their fears.”

She smiled. “Exactly.”

“Intriguing. Of course, you still need to guide the patient from the outside, right? Direct them to specific aspects of the dream.”

“We're still working on a communications interface,” Cisco said.

“When we dream, the middle brain lights up with electrical activity, whereas the higher brain remains dormant. Once we find a way to make both parts of the brain active, then it's just a matter of finding the frequency that will stimulate the language center. Then the dreamer could speak. He could describe his dream.”

“Exactly. Or her dream. It could be used for anyone.”

“Right, it's not gender specific. I would try a frequency of 45 hertz to start.” 

“Thank you, Dr. Wells.” 

“Well, you never cease to impress me, Miss Allen.”

**************************

Carter, Cisco, Caitlin and Grace show up to the precinct and head directly to Barry’s lab. However, Barry stopped Grace. Grace looked at them. “We’ll be up in a minute.” She looked at her brother a little confused. “What’s wrong?”

“Eddie’s gonna propose!” he whispered.

“What? How do you know?”

“He just showed me the ring.” He sighed. “What if that paper is wrong and Iris and I…”

“Okay, Barry, you need to breathe.” She toook a couple of breaths with him. She nodded. “Good job. First of all, tell me everything.”

He told her everything from Eddie wanting to propose, that he was going to do it tonight and that Joe said no. “Whoa, time out,” she said. “Dad said no?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it shocked me too.”

“Wow…”

“Why would Joe say no?”

She shook her head. “I have no idea, but if dad said it then you know he has a very good reason to do so.”

He nodded. “Right.” He exhaled. 

“And that paper is from the future so either Eddie and Iris don’t get married or if they do something happens for them to separate. Either way you’re gonna get your happily ever after, Big Brother.”

He smiled. “So, will you Mrs. Allen-Stephens.”

She laughed softly. “Thanks. But it hasn’t happened yet.”

They go upstairs and the others get everything ready. Grace looked at Cisco. “Now, I put in a Delta wave. It should help you fall asleep.” She smiled. “Cause God knows you can’t fall asleep like a normal person.”

He laid down and she put the glasses in places. “Now, close your eyes and just let the waves take you, okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah, but Grace you know I can’t fall asleep just like….” He was out.

“Ah, so that's how you get him to shut up,” Joe teased.

“He's entering REM,” Caitlin smiled. It's working.”

Grace looked at Barry. “Speak softly. Don’t raise your voice or anything. Softly.”

He nodded. “Cisco. Can you hear me? You're dreaming, bud.”

 

In Cisco’s dream he can see himself in the Cortex of the Lab and Caitlin has just told him she’s gonna take Wells to Jitters. “Whoa. Guys, this is mad freaky.”

“Okay, um, where are you?” Barry asked.

“Um, in the Cortex. I mean, I know I'm just dreaming that I'm in the Cortex, but it feels so real.”

“What is dream you doing? Caitlin just left. I asked her to take Wells to Jitters.”

“Why... why do you want Wells out of the lab?” 

“I think he might have tampered with my work. I need to check. Okay. Okay, I'm walking to the bunker.” Cisco looked down at his shirt. “Oh, man, I love this shirt. I thought the dryer ate it.”

Joe snickered and Grace slapped at him lightly. 

“Focus, Cisco.”

“Okay, okay. All right. Now I'm running tests on the containment system.”

“Why are you doing that?” Carter asked softly.

“Because I’m trying to understand….this data... It doesn't make any sense. All the supercapacitors...they were all still fully charged. There's absolutely no reason that the Man in Yellow should have escaped.”

In the dream he messes with the cords and he sees the mirage of the Reverse-Flash. “Oh, my God….”

“What Cisco?” Grace asked.

“It was just a hologram. He tricked us.” 

“Hello, Cisco.”

Grace looked at his activity. “He’s scared.” She looked at him and said softly, soothingly, “Cisco. It’s okay. He can’t hurt you. Please, remember that. Whatever he does to you in there you will be fine on our end I promise.”

“My name is Eobard Thawne,” Wells told him. 

“Eobard Thawne.”

“Thawne? Like Eddie Thawne?”

“You killed Nora Allen.” 

“It was never my intention.”

“Nora? What about my mom?”

“He's confessing.”

“Cisco?” 

“Barry, give him a few minutes to make sense of everything,” Grace told him.

“He... he didn't want to kill her. It was you, Barry. He was trying to kill you.”

The alarms and the alerts began going off. “His blood pressure's 200 and his heart rate is 147. Guys, he's losing higher brain function.”

Grace nodded. “Cisco, hey, listen to me, Sweetheart. You’re gonna be okay. He can’t hurt you in there. He can’t kill you. We’re here. We’re all here. You’re going to be just fine. I promise you.”

As he started to get more and more frightened they attempted to pull him out of the dream, but he bolted out of it himself. Grace hugged him. “You’re okay. It’s okay. It was just a dream. You’re okay.”

Barry’s phone rang. It was Wells he tells him about a fire in New Brighton. A high rise. Joe spoke, “I know that building. That's where Captain Singh's fiance works.”

“On our way.” Grace turned to Carter and kissed him. She looked at Cisco. “You’ll be okay.” She kissed him. “Love you, Cisco.”

He smiled. He knew she didn’t mean it romantically anymore and neither did he. “Love you too.”

She flew out the window of the lab and quickly changed. She got to the high rise and landed on the ground. She looked at the firemen. “All right, Gentlemen. Let’s work together. I’ll help your water supply streatch up there, I just need you to keep it running.” 

“Yes, Gaia.”

She put her hands out and closed her eyes for a second, then directed the water upwards.” She tapped her earpiece as she felt the rumble. “Barry, it’s gonna blow. I’m gonna go in.”

“No, Grace, you can’t!”

“I’m the only one who can withstand it without choking myself to death. Listen to what Wells tells you and I’ll get everyone out.”

“Grace, I--”

“Trust me!” she screamed. “I love you and I know you’re trying to--”

The floor blew. She jerked. “I know you love me and you’re trying to protect me, but this is my job too. I’m here to pick up for your weaknesses. Please, let me do that.”

“Okay, go.” She flew up to the building and flew inside. She scanned the room. “How many of you are on this floor?”

She didn’t get an answer, so she just picked up one and brought them down. Singh stopped her, pleading with her to get Rob out. She smiled. “I promise you, everyone will get out safely.” She flew back up and got two more. She kept going like that and then grabbed Rob as the vacuum that Barry was creating began to get strong. “Come on, I do believe your fiance is waiting for you.”

She landed on the ground and placed him down. Singh hugged the other man and looked at her. “Thank you.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome.” She jet-propelled upward and helped her brother by blowing the fire out.

**************************

They met back at the lab and told Eddie everything they found out, except for the Reverse-Flash being some kind of relative of his. “So, Wells set up a fake showdown with a fake opponent who was never really there?”

“He figured if we saw both of them together it would prove that he wasn't the Man in Yellow.”

“This all just keeps getting crazier and crazier.” 

Caitlin walked out of the elevator. “I just talked to Dr. Wells. He's attending a lecture downtown, won't be back until 5:00.”

“All right, Cisco, you know when he gets here you need to be working on the trap so he sees you set off the hologram.”

“Hold on, isn't that, in your dream, when everything went all…”

“Kali Ma. Temple of Doom. Yeah, that definitely happened. But this time, I'm ready for him. I originally designed the force field to keep a speedster from getting out.” He walked into the space of the vortex and pressed the button. “But I've reversed it. Now it won't let one in.” He activated it and the force field buzzed.

Barry looked at everyone. “Back up.” 

Everyone backed up toward the wall. Barry readied himself and then ran toward Cisco, but he bounced right off and hit a tool cart hard. Grace rushed to her brother. “You oaky?”

“Ah. It works.”

Carter pulled him to his feet.

“Okay, as long as I'm inside, Wells won't be able to get near me.”

“And I will be in the Cortex watching and recording everything that happens.”

“And as soon as we get the confession we need to free my dad, I'm moving in.”

“So what do I do?” Eddie asked.

“Wells also threatened Iris, so if something goes wrong here, we need you to keep an eye on her until Wells is neutralized.”

“I'll always keep Iris safe, Joe.”

Joe looked at his kids and Carter shrugged, Grace sighed and Barry exhaled. “Come on.”

Grace looked at them. “Wait, what about me and Carter?”

Joe smiled. “Ahh...yes, you and Carter.” He looked at them both. “Go to dinner. I made reservations for you both at Solo--”

“Dad, we can’t go on a date--”

“There’s no telling when you’ll get another chance,” he looked at them both. “So, go. Enjoy yourselves. Have fun and when we see you again I’d like to think you’ll be together, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Joe smiled. “Good. It’s Solo Mio and I put it under your name, Carter.”

He nodded. “Thanks Joe.”

“Now, get out of here.”

**************************

Grace and Carter walked into Solo Mio and were immediately seated. Carter ordered them drinks and then looked at Grace. “You look beautiful.”

She smiled. “Thank you.” She was wearing a red figure hugging dress and her dark hair was down. “You look very handsome yourself.”

He sighed. “Okay. Um...I know this isn’t--”

“Carter, I have a good time with you and it doesn’t matter what we’re doing. And I will have a good time at this dinner.” She leaned over and kissed him. “I love you.”

He sighed. “I love you.”

She smiled. “Let’s order. I’m starving!”

He laughed and picked up his menu.

**************************

While they were out on their date and really enjoying themselves, Grace’s phone went off. She glanced at it and it was a 9-1-1 text from Barry and saying Cisco needed them. “We gotta go. Cisco’s in trouble.”

They quickly stood and ran out of the restaurant. Carter handed about 300 dollars to the waitress. “Tip for everyone and our dinner. Thank you.”

They got back to the lab and got downstairs to see a bullet sailing through the air and Barry trying to stop it. He was unsuccessful and it hit Wells. Grace ran to Cisco as Caitlin asked him, “You okay?”

“No! He didn't confess.” 

“Cisco, are you okay?” 

“Yeah. I'm never ever gonna sleep ever again, but, yeah, I'm okay.”

“He's dead,” Caitlin said. 

“He didn't confess. Joe, this was it. My dad's gonna be in prison forever.”

“Barry, I'm sorry.”

“Hey, uh... Whoa.”

They watched in shock as the Wells who laid on the floor morph into Hannibal Bates. 

“What the hell?”

“How the hell did he do that?” 

They heard over the speaker system. “I told you this before. I am always one step ahead... Flash. Allow me to reintroduce to you Mr. Hannibal Bates and his incredible ability to transform into any person he touches. I knew that ability would come in handy. I did not expect it to come in handy this soon.”

“You sonofabitch!” Grace screamed.

“You used him! Like you used all of us!” Barry exclaimed.

“Well, he served a purpose. Didn't take much convincing. Just the simple promise of his freedom.”

“You ruined my life! All our lives!” 

“We stood by you after everything that happened.”

“I trusted you!” Grace yelled. “I trusted you with the most important person in my life and it was just for your grand scheme! All so you can try to kill him!”

“I can see how this must be difficult for you to understand, but trust me, your lives now are so much better because of what I have done for you.”

“What you have done for us?” Carter said. “Do you hear yourself? This isn’t better? I’m a walking talking fucking computer because of you! Because of your need to take out my brother!”

“You better hope I don’t find you, You Sonofabitch!” Grace screamed. “Because I will use every power I have and I will kill you!”

He laughed. “You couldn’t do it when your brother disappeared. Do you really think you’re gonna do it now?”

“You don't have to hide anymore,” Joe told him. “We know you're not Harrison Wells. Just tell us who you are.”

“A confession will get you nowhere. You've seen who I am. You know what I can do.”

“You want to kill me, go ahead. I'm not gonna fight you. But just tell the police what you did. Get my dad out of prison.”

“I don't want to kill you, Barry. I need you. And..” He laughed. “I also did not anticipate, as difficult as the past 15 years have been for me, how much I would come to love working with you. With all of you. And yet, that does not change what needs to happen.”

“Then face me now!”

“Yeah! Come on you cowardly asshole! When and where?”

“Oh, we will face each other again. I promise you. Soon. Very, very soon.”

“He’s in the Time Vault!” Cisco told them.

Grace and Barry ran to the vault. She stopped when she seen all the footage. He was recording them. “Barry….our intimate lives….this entire time….”

“It was all a set-up. We thought we set a trap for him, but he set a trap for us.”

Grace zeroed in on a piece of footage. “Barry...Iris.”

They went back into the Cortex. “We have to find Iris.” 

“Why?” 

“Wells. He's been watching all of us. He has surveillance footage set up everywhere. Our homes, my lab at the police station, Central City Picture News.”

Grace looked at Carter. “It….he surveyed intimate moments. Moments when I was with Cisco...you….”

Carter held her. 

“Cisco, call me when you have a location.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No!”

“Barry, she’s my sister!” she exclaimed. “Just like with you, I’m going to protect her. I have to.”

He nodded. “Get ready.”

***********************

They both left and headed for the bridge. Grace tapped her earpiece. “Barry, Eddie would be proposing to Iris right now. How are we going to do this?”

“I don’t know. We just have to make sure that Wells doesn’t hurt her.”

However, when they got there they were too late. Flash stopped to see if Iris was okay while Gaia flew after Wells. She tapped her earpiece. “Carter?”

“I’m here, Baby. Talk to me.”

“You know how I can fly. If I ride the air that Wells kicks off when he speeds could I catch up to him.”

“Theorically, yes. You ride the air vibrations to fly, Cricket. So, if you ride the air that he kicks off when he flies you should be able to catch up to him.”

“Okay.”

“Grace, be careful.”

“I will I promise.”

Doing as he had said, she rode his air and caught up to him. She punched him and both he and Eddie fell. She landed. “I told you, you sonofabitch. Don’t let me find you!”

“Ahh...so you discovered one of your great powers to fly faster than the Flash.”

“Didn’t take much. Just a conversation with my future husband.”

“Ahh, yes. The dynamic duo of Allen and Stephens.”

She shook her head. “Shut the hell up.” She stomped the ground and then shoved at the ground.

Eddie watched as the terrain rose up, knocking Wells on the ground. He watched the fight between Grace and Wells. She held her own for quite awhile, but he got the upperhand, Eddie concluded it was probably from years of fighting her and she laid on the ground, writhing in pain. 

Back at the Cortex, Carter heard her heart monitor beeping to inform them she was critical. “Grace!” No answer. “Gracie!”

“Carter….” she coughed. “I need….”


	32. Grodd Lives

Caitlin walked into the Cortex and looked at Cisco. “Has Carter been here all night?”

He nodded. “Just like the other night. He won’t leave until Grace wakes up.”

She sighed. “You okay?”

He looked at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because Grace...Carter…”

He laughed softly. “Caitlin, I’m not pining away for Grace. She’s with the one she’s supposed to be with. Even the future thinks so and I’m okay with that.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Grace was right. I didn’t love her the way she wanted, needed someone to.” He hit a few keys on the keyboard and brought up Carter sitting in the hydra-tank room. “He does. He’s utterly lost without her. She needs him, just like he needs her. That’s the kind of love she wanted, needed and I loved her, but….”

“Okay. So, any change?”

“A bit. Her vitals are getting stronger but she’s not completely healed yet.”

*****************************

Barry could tell that something was wrong with Iris from the moment she walked in. “What's up?”

“Something happened. And I'm not supposed to say anything, but I couldn't keep quiet.”

“What happened?”

“The Man in Yellow, he took Eddie right in front of me.”

“Oh, my God.” Iris jerked away from his touch. “Are you okay?” 

“No, no. Not at all. No, I...the Flash was there. He told me to go home and not to talk to anyone because he would fix it, but he hasn't. I think the police should be out there searching for Eddie.”

“No, Iris…”

“My dad needs to know the truth.”

“Uh, I think that The Flash is right.” He walked to his locker and pulled out his bag. “Joe and the cops, they're no match for The Man in Yellow, Iris. They would just get hurt.”

“So you think The Flash is out there right now, searching for Eddie?”

“I'm sure he's doing everything he can to find him.”

“Yeah, well, I'm finding it pretty hard to trust The Flash right now.”

“Well, then, trust me. Okay?”

“Where’s Grace? I’ve been calling her since last night, but she won’t answer.”

“Oh, uh...Carter whisked her away to Coast City for a few days.”

“Oh. Why?”

He shrugged. “Something about a romantic getaway or something.” He looked at her, smiling apologetically. “Look, I'm so sorry about all of this. I... Everything is gonna be okay. I have to go.”

**********************

Barry walked into the Cortex. “Hey. You planning on keeping all those cameras Wells used to spy on us? That's kind of creepy, don't you think?”

“First rule of mechanical engineering, dude. Never waste good tech.” 

“Among other things,” Carter said. His voice was hollow. 

“Hey, how’s Grace?”

“She’s getting better, but slowly.” He ran a hand over his blond hair. “Barry...I….”

“Hey. She’ll get better I promise. A few more hours in the hydra-tank and she’ll be fine.”

“But how does she get out?”

“She usually just swims to the top when she wakes up,” Cisco explained. “She pops the lid and--”

The computer beeping pulled them all from the conversation. “Central City Gold Reserve's under attack. Gold? That's the case Singh wants us on. Mm. I'll be right back.”

***********************

“Your eye movement is normal,” Caitlin studied after Barry’s fight with the new Villain. “No signs of neurological damage.”

“Do you think the thief might have been a meta-human who put the whammie on you or something?” 

“I... I don't know. When Rainbow Raider got in my head, all I felt was anger. But this was not that. This was just overwhelming fear.”

Cisco cued up the footage. “Hmm. Looks like when you went down, the thief got disoriented too.”

“Maybe we both got whammied.”

They all turned. “Then you know how it feels.” She paused walking toward him. “Hi, Barry. Or should I say The Flash?”

Barry exhaled and took her into the room with the hydra-tank and his treadmill. Iris immediately headed for the tank. “Grace!” She touched the glass.

Carter stood from his chair and looked at Barry. “Bar--”

“She knows,” he told him.

“Oh, um….” he nodded. “I’ll give you the room.”

“Carter.”

He turned back around. “Yes?”

“Is...Is...Is...Is...she gonna be okay?”

“According to Barry and the others water heals her, so we just have to wait for the water to do it’s thing. She’s been in there since last night, but her vitals are strong and I saw movement before you came in, so it shouldn’t be long.”

He left and Iris looked at Barry. “How….how does water heal her?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “She’s never explained it to me. All I can say is it seems to regenerate her cells or something.”

“And she’ll be okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah. She took on the Reverse-Flash--the Man in Yellow last night. I found severely injured and Eddie and Reverse were gone.”

“Oh, God…”

“Wait. How did you find out?” 

“When I touched The Flash the other night, I felt a jolt of electricity. The only other time I have ever felt anything like that was when you were in a coma after the accident.” She laughed in disbelief. “I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner.”

I can only imagine how angry you are. I'm not angry, Barry. I'm just disappointed.”

“Okay.”

“Does Eddie know? Yes, he does. Is that why he got kidnapped?”

“No, I don't know why Wells took Eddie. I…”

“Dr. Wells is The Man in Yellow? Everything he's been doing, helping me... it was all a lie. Wells killed my mom.”

“Is he gonna kill Eddie?”

“No, he's not. I'm gonna get Eddie back, I swear.”

“Yeah, The Flash said the same thing.” 

“Look, Iris, you have to believe me, I...there were so many times I wanted to tell you. Even Grace insisted we tell you. You were the first person I wanted to tell, but everything started getting crazy, and I thought maybe Joe was right and I shouldn't say…”

“Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me that my dad knew and he told you not to tell me?”

“He was trying to protect you. We both were.” 

She sighed. “Yeah, well, maybe it's time you both stopped.”

She walked out of the room.

************************

“I heard you talked to Barry. So this is what my cold shoulder treatment feels like. Look... baby, the way I went about things, maybe... No. I was wrong. I was just trying to keep you safe.”

“You know, that excuse is getting really old. First it was the police academy, and then it was dating Eddie, and now this.” 

“Sweetheart, you know what The Man in Yellow is capable of. He killed cops. He killed Mason Bridge.”

“Wells killed Mason? And you're covering that up?”

“No. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. If the world finds out about Wells, they find out about Barry. I'm trying to keep him safe too.” 

“Did you ever stop to think that looping me in would keep me safe? That if I knew what was going on out there, I could prepare for it? Maybe I could've helped you and Barry put the bad guys away instead of being in the way.”

“Believe me, I asked myself that question every single day. Every time you posted something new about The Flash on your blog…”

“Dad, it's not just about Barry being The Flash. You knew how he felt about me for God knows how long, and you didn't tell me that either.”

“That wasn't for me to tell, Iris.” 

“Well, you know what, if any of you had been honest with me, maybe Eddie would still be here. He wouldn't have gotten involved in all of this if I hadn't been dating him.”

“Are you saying if you had known how Barry felt…”

“What I am saying is that what happened to Eddie is your fault.”

Joe’s phone began to vibrate with a phone call. “This is work. We can finish this talk.”

“Talking. Yeah, that'll be new.”

**********************

As they were talking to General Eiling who was apparently identifying as Grodd, Carter came over the speaker. “Hey, guys, Grace is awake.”

Joe released a sigh of relief. “Oh thank God.”

“We’ll be right there, Carter,” Barry told him.

They left Eiling in the cage and went to the Cortex. Grace was now dressed and drying her hair. Carter was asking her a million questions. She laughed softly. “Carter, Baby, stop.”

He pulled her into a hug. “God...I missed you.”

She hugged him tightly. She smiled at Joe and Barry. “Hey.”

Barry hugged her. “Glad you’re okay, Kiddo.”

Joe hugged her next. “What your brother said.” He kissed her hair. “You had us pretty scared, kiddo.”

“Sorry. What’d I miss?”

“Before we do that,” Carter said. He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. “Please explain to me later how in the hell water heals you.”

She nodded. “I will later.” She kissed him again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“You missed a lot,” Barry told her. “Iris knows. She’s disappointed in me. Concerned for you and angry with Joe.”

She sighed. “I told you guys to tell her. Why don’t you ever listen to me?”

Barry laughed. “Sorry.”

“What else?”

They filled her in on Eiling and Grodd the Gorilla. “Oh, my God. I go into my Hydra-Tank to recooperate and I come out and it’s the Planet of the Apes around here.” She sighed. “But why test it on a Gorilla?”

“We stopped,” Caitlin told her.

“Dr. Wells found out about the terrible experiments that Eiling was doing, he shut down the entire project.”

“So our psycho-killer has a soft spot for animals. That's sweet.”

“Well, we could do a momentary aww, but I’d much rather not.”

“What happened to Grodd?”

“We don't know. After the Particle Accelerator exploded, I went down to check on him, and his cage was empty.”

“So he could have been affected by the same energy that hit Barry?”

“When the dark matter hit Grodd, all the drugs and serums that Eiling injected him with could've activated. Maybe the Accelerator explosion created a meta-gorilla. And I think we know what happens when a super-intelligent ape who's pissed off at humans escapes captivity.”

“Not the time, Cisco.”

“Cisco's right about the first part. This is the first brain scan that I did on Grodd.”

“Whoa. His primary motor cortex and Broca's area are lit up like a Christmas tree,” Barry said.

“From Eiling's experiments. And this is the brain scan that I just did on Eiling. His brain is lit up in the exact same way.”

“So Grodd and Eiling are connected somehow?”

“I think that somehow, Grodd is transmitting neural signals to Eiling's primary motor cortex. Mind control, telepathy... who knows what Grodd is capable of now?”

“Actually you may be right,” Grace said. She took a breath. “It’s been a while since I looked at an x-ray for psychological anything, but…” she walked to the screen. “Do you see this here?”

They nodded. She continued, “This part of the brain is what makes us supceptible to suggestion or mind control.”

“Really?” Joe asked. She nodded. 

“Yeah. Really.”

“Why didn’t you ever become a pyschologist or a neurologist?” Joe asked.

“Because I like telling stories and figuring out mysteries. Not discovering scientific ones.” She sighed. “I did all my degrees for one reason or another. To make you proud, dad, Barry, daddy...Carter.” She exhaled. “Photography makes me happy.”

Carter looked at Grace. “Baby, you never had to do anything that made me happy. The only thing that would make me happy is knowing you were doing something you love.”

“Well, I am now. I finally found something that I can use all the facets of myself to save people’s lives.”

“What do we think Grodd wants? Revenge?”

Grace shook her head. “Not toward Caitlin. If you notice in the video, she’s kind to him. He wouldn’t attack her because she was nice to him. He’d have no reason to. But it’s quite possible that doing what he did to Eiling was his revenge. Showing him what his serums and all that did to him.”

“I do not like the fact that Wells rescued Grodd. I don't think it's a coincidence that this gorilla shows up at the very same time we're looking for Wells.”

“I agree with Joe,” Carter said. “It’s not a coincidence that this happened.”

“Grodd and Wells always did have a special bond.”

“It wouldn't surprise me if Wells was using Grodd to distract us. If we find Grodd, we find Wells. If we find Wells…”

“We find Eddie. And I'm gonna help.”

Caitlin smiled. “Know anything about Gorillas?”

“I just might.”

Grace turned to Joe as he prepped to argue. “No. Everyone in this Cortex listens to me, here and now. We should have told Iris from the beginning about me and Barry. If we had done that I believe we could have kept her safer than she was. Because keeping her in the dark didn’t solve anything except making her upset.” She smiled at Iris. “I could use your help.”

“You look for being submersed in water for a day or so.”

She nodded. “Water heals me. It’s a long story. I will tell you. But let’s get started.”

“Do you have an access code for the CCPN?”

She nodded. “I’m the Photo editor.” She reached over Iris and typed in her access information into the website. “There you go. You know have editor control over content. Don’t change tomorrow’s headlines or I will kill you.”

She laughed. “Right.” She pulled up information. “There have been reports of some sort of animal down in the sewers.”

“Mm. Alligators. C.H.U.D.S. R.O.U.S'es?”

“Am I the only one who watches movies around here?”

They looked at Grace. She shook her head. “No, don’t ask. I would much rather go blind than watch those movies again.” 

“Hey! There was nothing wrong with them!”

“Cisco, it’s six years of my life I will never get back. Ever.”

Iris laughed. “Uh, a few months ago, two sewer workers went missing. The search party reported hearing strange animal like noises down in the tunnels.”

“Where exactly did they go missing?”

“Uh, Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street.”

“There's an access point to the sewers about two blocks east of that intersection.”

“I'll start there.”

“Not alone. I'm coming too.”

“Me too,” Carter said.

“Huh, wading through miles of rats, roaches, and human excrement... count me out.” He saw the expression on the other’s faces. “Count me in.”

****************************

They walked the sewers while the girls watched from the lab. They watched everythign from the cam. They even watched them getting attacked. Grodd tossed Barry and Carter. 

“BARRY! CARTER!” Grace yelled.

“They’re out cold.”

What ended it was Joe being taken. “DAD!” Iris and Grace said in unison.

*************************

Grace listened to the emotional conversation between her brother and sister while Carter stayed with Cisco and Caitlin to figure something out. She watched Barry walk away and Grace walked to her. “You know he has a point.”

“What?”

“Maybe you not only need to be honest with him but you need to be honest with yourself too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“For fifteen years I have watched you two dance around each other like some kind of weird viennaese waltz. Why don’t you just admit it to yourself that you have feelings for Barry too?”

“Because I’m with Eddie.”

“And I was with Cisco, Iris, but I finally had to realize that the love that I wanted someone to feel for me, that I wanted to feel for them was right in front of me this whole time. I was searching for something I already had. All I had to do was be honest with myself to get it.” 

“You broke up with Cisco--”

“He broke up with me, actually. I was...like you...gonna stay with him because I made a commitment to him, but he made me realize that wasn’t fair to him, myself or to Carter.” She looked into her sister’s eyes. “Do you really think it’s going to be fair to either of you for you to stick it out with Eddie?”

“I love Eddie!”

“I know you do! But do you love him like you’ve always said you wanted to love someone too, Iris?” She looked at her sister. “I love you. You’re my sister no matter what. But you have to start following your own heart and stop sticking to something because you made a commitment to if your heart’s not in it.” She stopped her. “And don’t stand there and tell me that your heart is completely in your relationship with Eddie, because who’d be the liar now, Iris?”

She turned and walked away. She walked into the cortex. “Anything?”

“Cricket, I need your brain.” 

Grace smiled. “Use me, Doc.”

Carter smirked. “Okay. There’s a few ways I could go with that, but I’m going to stay focused.” 

She laughed. “Good idea. What’s your problem?”

“Is there a way to block that part of the brain from Grodd’s ability?”

“Without knowing how strong his mental manipulation is….um, I don’t know.”

“But is there a way to shut it off?” Barry asked.

“Yeah,” Grace said. She walked over to where Cisco and Caitlin were. “Please get up.”

“What?” Cisco asked.

“Get up, please,” she said more firmly.

“Grace, breathe, Kiddo.”

She took a couple of deep breaths. She felt her chin quiver and looked at her brother as her eyes filled. “Nope,” she broke. “Didn’t work.”

Carter looked over his shoulder at Barry and he nodded. Carter walked to her and wrapped her in a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and began sobbing. 

“What’s wrong with Grace?”

Barry looked over at her. “You know what happens when she bottles emotions. Well, she’s been bottling all of this up. That she trusted Wells with her life, my life….that Wells killed mom. That Wells is killing innocent people to shut them up….that he took Joe.”

“It just got to be too much,” Carter said softly. He took her face in his hands. “You need to stop holding it in, Cricket. We can’t help you if you keep doing that.” He brushed her hair back with his fingers. “And all three of us hate seeing you like this.”

She took a deep breath. “I know.” She kissed him. “Thank you.”

“Always.” He kissed her lips and then her forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you.” She sighed. She looked at Cisco. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. What are you thinking?”

“We need to make a psychic blocker. A helmet-esque psychic blocker. If we can make it to where the blocker sits on the part of the brain that is vulnerable to psychic persuasion then I think we could get dad back.”

Hours later, they had it online and Grace sighed. She looked at her brother. “Do you trust me?”

“Without question.”

“Good because this isn’t tested so I’m not one-hundred percent sure it’ll work.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “I trust in your brain, Kiddo. It’s time you do too.”

She nodded. “Be careful. I’d go with you, but we didn’t have time to make two of those.”

He nodded. She looked at him, going around to a computer where Carter sat and sat on his lap. “But I’ll be monitoring the entire thing from here.”

He nodded. “Okay.” He left and showed up to Grodd’s location.

The steam's working. Grodd's on the move.” 

“I don't understand. What is the plan?” 

“He's maneuvering Grodd into a tunnel 5.3 miles from Barry.” 

“So Barry can do what?” 

“Same thing he did to Girder.” 

“Supersonic punch, baby. Hit it!” 

Barry ran and attempted his punch, but it didn’t work. “The supersonic punch failed.”

They can hear Barry in distress and Grace sighed. “Shit.” Her eyes began welling up with tears again as she became afraid for her brother. 

“Barry's brain activity is off the charts. It's way worse than last time.”

“What's happening to him?” 

“Grodd's attacking him psychically. He's paralyzed.”

“Come on. There's a service train coming.”

“Do something please!” Iris pleaded. 

“I can't stop the train. Barry, you have to get out of there now.” 

Grace looked at her sister. “Iris you have to try.” She faced her. “Look, I know you’re whatever, but you know how he feels about you. Yeah, sure he kept this all from you, but he did it because he loves you and wanted to keep you safe. But now, he needs to hear the voice of the one he loves the most.”

“What do you mean?”

“How do you think I healed so quickly?” She said. “With my internal injuries I should have been out of that tank within seventy-two hours, not thirty-six.” She looked over at Carter, then back at Iris. “Hearing Carter talk to me helped me through it. He needs you. Please?”

She walked to the intercom and pressed the button. “Barry, listen to me, okay? You have to concentrate on my voice. Whatever is happening to you, you have to fight it. I know you can do this. I know how strong you are. Stand up to Grodd. You can do this. Please. Barry, do it for me.”

********************

After they got Joe back and on the mend, Grace was emotionally exhausted. She looked at Carter. “Take me home.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.” They said goodnight and walked out. She took his hand as they walked. “Am I taking you to Joe’s?”

She shook her head. “No. Take me home…” she looked into his green eyes. “With you.”

He nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

He drove them to his place and they got out of the car. She took his hand and they walked up the porch together. They walked inside and she took her jacket off. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you...Oliver and Felicity are getting married in a couple of weeks...would you be my date?”

He smiled and pulled her into his arms. “Nothing would make me happier.”

She smiled up at him. “But there is one thing that would make you happier than a date to a wedding.”

“What’s that?”

“I want to spend the night with you and not like we have been,” she looked into his eyes. “I want to be with you...and only you. If I do spend the night with you for me it would mean that we’re dating...boyfriend-girlfriend, whatever you want to call it.” She turned her blue eyes into his green ones. “I have never wanted anything more than to be yours and only yours---”

Music to his ears. He bent his head and their lips connected almost instantly. His lips were warm and sweet on hers. She quivered at the sweetness of his kiss. She had never been kissed like this....as if she mattered. And she knew with Carter she did. How she loved that.

Desperately seeking to deepen the kiss, to really know what it felt like to kiss him, she whimpered, opening her mouth slightly. Taking the invitation he knew she was giving, he swept his tongue inside to caress the walls of her delicious mouth. The taste of her was addictive and oh, so sweet at the same time.

Their tongues danced together in a silent melody, that was so sweet that they both moaned. Grace knew she'd forever remember this moment in her life. She would remember the sound of the waves, the smell of the air, the feel of his arms around her and this kiss, this kiss would forever be seared into her brain.

After what seemed to be forever, Carter reluctantly pulled away, breathless and wanting to do it again as he watched her eyes flutter and seeing the clouds of desire in her eyes. She looked at him. “Make me forget,” she said softly. “Make love to me, Carter.”

pulled his blazer off. Their lips never leaving each other’s as she helped him pull his shirt from his waistband. He untied his tie and tossed it to the floor. She pulled her mouth from his and asked, panting. “How many of these do you have?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said and popped the buttons off. She pushed it off his arms and he wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her upstairs. He walked into his room and sat her on the bed. He sighed. “I never thought I’d be here right now.”

“Me neither,” she said and turned him to sit on the bed. She stood up. She kicked her shoes off and unzipped her dress. She let it slip off her body and she stepped out of it. 

His heart thudded in time to the butterflies in his stomach. He really never thought he’d be here right now. To see the girl that he’d been fantasizing about since they were old enough to be into the opposite sex standing before him in her bra and matching panties. He stood himself and pulled his shoes off. He unbuttoned his pants and let them fall to his feet, pulling his feet out he walked to her. “God, you look amazing just like this.”

She hummed as she kissed him. “You too.” 

He backed himself against the bed and sat down. She straddled him. “Kiss me.”

He took her mouth in a ravaging kiss that made her whimper as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her to him and deepened the kiss. He wrapped one hand, fingers and all into the mass of curls as he pulled her closer. He brushed his tongue across her bottom lip to get her to open her mouth. She sighed and he swept his tongue inside.

She moved her hands to his chest and moaned into his mouth. She pulled back enough to look down into his smokey green eyes. She stopped and traced her fingers along his face for a moment, savoring the moment she was in. She sighed. “I love you.”

He took her mouth again and she hummed as he deepened the kiss almost instantly. “I love you,” he said softly. 

She grunted when her fingertips brushed his abs and she felt his heat and the definition of muscles. “Mmm….I think I’m going to like having you naked more than clothed.” 

He laughed into her mouth before kissing her thoroughly. “I’m already there.”  Feeling her touching him sent him to the brink. He reluctantly tore his mouth from hers and his cock hardened when he heard her whimper. She leaned into him, pressing him further into the couch, deepening the kiss. Her entire body was on fire! How in the hell did he do it? How did he heat her from the inside out like this? 

He took her neck in a savage exploration of nips, love bites and kisses. "Oh, God...." she whispered. "Just don't leave a hickey.”

He laughed. “Why not?”

She moaned as he licked up the chord in her neck. “Oh, God...Carter….” he nipped at her throat.

He smiled devilishly as he curled his arm around her waist and flipped her on her back, laying her back against the pillows. He smiled as he heard her squeal in delight. He leaned down and dipped his mouth to take hers in the gentlest of kisses that made her heart soar. “I love you,” he whispered before he took her mouth again, this time more softly.

“I love you,” she moaned as he kissed her neck again. She moaned and deepened the kiss. She had no idea what it was about him but whenever she got around him she couldn't seem to think straight. Not when all she wanted was him naked and making her come with each thrust of his incredible hips. She pressed her body into his, she had to feel him against her....badly. It was almost as strong as breathing.

He broke the kiss and almost came unglued when she whimpered. He began kissing down her chin, her neck. He continued his blaze of hot kisses down her body and felt himself get harder and the need get stronger with each of her moans.

He broke the kiss and rose up to his knees. He hooked his thumbs into her panties and gently pulled them down her legs. He dropped them to the floor and caressed her legs as if they were created by God himself and he was admiring the perfection of them. He caressed her inner thigh and she gasped, “Carter….”

He smiled. “Sit up,” he commanded hoarsely. 

She sat up and put her hands behind her back and unsnapped her bra. He watched the perfect globes fall into place. He moaned and she could have sworn she came by hearing it. She tucked her hand behind his head and took his mouth passionately as she laid back against the pillows. He dipped his head down to take one of her very hard and erect nipples into his mouth.

"Oh, God...." she cried out as she felt the heat of his mouth on her skin, suckling her nipple into submission. The man was seriously going to kill her. She felt him stop and move to her other one and she was lost. There was no way she could be even more turned on than this moment.

She could feel the familiar ball of warmth that formed in her belly, which was a definite indication that she was very much almost there. "Baby, please...."

He stopped the assault on her perfect breasts and leaned back on his feet as he positioned himself between her legs. He spread her apart and smiled when he saw her glistening with need for him. He caressed her with a couple of swift touches of his fingers against her inner thigh again, this time close to her heat. Her orgasm was instant and earth-shattering. Was it possible for someone to implode into a huge ball of fire in one orgasm? Because if not she had just become a medical study. 

“Oh, my God….” she panted coming down from it. “That has….never….ever….hap….happened...b-b-before…”

He laughed softly and kissed her. “Glad to hear it.” He slowly dipped his finger inside of her.

"Holy fuck!" she said as she felt the first aftershock beginning when he slipped his finger inside of her. "How do you do that?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

Adding another, and finding her center, he curled his fingers, finding her G-spot. He angled his hand found her clit with his thumb. She moaned. “Oh...fuck!” She fisted her hands into the comforter and cried out, which was actually more of a scream as he drew circles with his thumb and pulled in and out with his fingers. She bowed as she felt the sensational pleasure of his fingers playing with her g-spot. 

Watching her had to be the most erotic thing he had ever witnessed in his life. He was absolutely sure his balls were now blue with holding back. He knew he couldn't do much more of that or he was for sure going to break something. He smiled satisfyingly as another, much larger orgasm overtook her and she screamed again. He slowed the flicking as she came down from the orgasm.

"Oh....my....God....." she panted.

Without giving her time to come completely down from her orgasm he slammed hard into her and she screamed, “Oh, my, God! Carter!” Fire bolts of desire raging through her as white light shot through the back of her eyes. She couldn't remember ever feeling something so right as the feel of him filling her, stretching her. She groaned with satisfaction.

He waited for her body to adjust before he started moving, first slowly and then faster. She moaned arching her body into his. He was bigger than the men she’d been with before. Way bigger, not that was a problem. She gripped his shoulders as he whispered into her hair, "Damn.” 

He could feel it building and building inside of him all day and to have her seducing him had totally done him in. He couldn't have stopped now if he wanted to. He kissed her, arching his body into hers as she arched hers upwards. He pushed deeper into her and laid forward. His hips pistoned deeper and deeper into her until he was for sure soul to soul. Hearing her small gasps, groans and little whimpers kept pushing him into an erotic rhythm.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him as she felt his movements urge her higher and higher. With each thrust of his body, she responded with both a thrust of her own and tremor. Coherent thought had been lost somewhere between the g-spot orgasm and this glorious feeling she was experiencing now. "Harder, Carter...."

Hearing her plea, he deepened his thrust and went harder. At that moment all that was heard was grunts, pants, the thumping of the bed hitting the wall and the erotic sound of their bodies coming together repeatedly. Feeling his orgasm clawing at him like a cat, he whispered into her ear, "Come with me, Baby. Come with me."

Feeling the whisper against her ear, sent her sensitive skin into overdrive and she felt her entire body tighten as a full body orgasm took her. She screamed his name as she felt him stiffen, grunt and felt the glorious feeling of him releasing inside of her. She felt the aftershock shivers raging through her like a hurricane and she held tightly as she spiraled down from her own orgasm.

Carter collapsed against her as he tried to even his breathing. Never had he felt completely surrendered to a woman before. But for Grace Allen, he’d do anything. “That was amazing,” he mouthed into her skin.

She was still breathing heavily as she said, “Absolutely.  _ The _ hottest sexual experience of my life….and I’m not just saying that.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him. She caressed her fingers down his cheek. “I love you, Carter.” She could actually feel her heart swell with the emotion. “I have never meant those words more. Never have I ever felt it more than with you.”

He smiled down into her face. He kissed her softly and she gasped when she felt him harden again. She looked into his eyes, her own blown wide. “Again?”

He laughed softly as he said, “Yep.” And he rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “But this time you’re gonna ride me.”

She moaned and kissed his lips. “I’ve never been very good at that,” she admitted. 

“Who says? Josh?”

She nodded. “And the other one.”

He sat up and kissed her. “Well, let’s see for ourselves. Maybe it was just them.”

She stared down at him for what seemed like forever, before giving in. She’d always wondered what it would feel like to ride him and now here was the opportunity and she was gonna past it up? Was she nuts?! She rose up, gently pushing upwards with her hands on his chest. To help her, he positioned himself where he needed to be and she slid down on him. Synchronized moans filled the room. “Oh, God…” she muttered. She gasped and looked into his eyes. “This is…”

“I know,” he said and kissed her, then laid back. “Go for it, Gracie.”

He put his hands on her hips and waited for her to feel comfortable. "I think with you around, I'm gonna be horny all the time," she murmured as she began to rock, arching her back with each grinding, pumping movement.

"Oh, shit...." he grunted as he watched her. He could feel her going deeper and deeper with each movement. He felt everything in her body beginning to quiver as she rode him, faster and faster. He watched as she got closer and closer to her orgasm and held her down. "Wait," he told her and held her there for a few seconds.

She looked down into his glossy blue eyes. Was he trying to torture her? "What?"

"Hold still a second." He said as he shifted.

With each shift of his body, he was hitting certain points that were making her gasp with need. “Carter, please...."

He rolled her on to her back and began the pumping action again. This time with him in control. He loved to watch her come as he pumped in and out of her like this. Not that he couldn't have with her on top, but the way she was arched he couldn't see her face. He wanted to see her face as they made love. See the changes it took on, the emotions.

"Oh, God, yes! Carter...." there was something about a man who took control and knew what he was doing that drove her wild, mad really. Her cries got louder as he hammered her into the bed. She felt the orgasm curling inside of her as the heat engulfed her entire body. "Shit....I'm gonna come...."

He had barely heard her through his own hammering heart, but he pumped harder, faster into her, feeling his own building. He looked down at her as he felt his own on the edge. She was biting down on her lip to prevent herself from coming before him. "Let go," he grunted as he hammered harder. And then stiffened, released and screamed her name.

Feeling unbelievably relaxed, she sighed as Carter collapsed on top of her for only a moment before rolling on to his back. Not like the only mere seconds that they weren’t in contact, she rolled on her side. She put her head on his chest and curled into him. She kissed his chest. “That was incredible.” She kissed his chest again. “If I could think of a better descriptor for ‘out of this world’ I would, but my brain’s not…”

He laughed and kissed her hair. “It’s okay. I’ll take incredible.” He rolled onto his side and kept her close. “God, Gracie, I never thought….” he pushed her hair out of her face.

“Me neither. I always thought when it came to you I’d be stuck in the friend-zone for eternity.”

He smiled and caressed her face. “I didn’t want you there forever. I was going to ask you to homecoming our Freshman year and then you came to me and told me you were going with James Vincent. I was crushed.”

She smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry.” She kissed him softly. “I felt the same way when you told me you were dating Miranda Davis.”

He groaned. “Oh, God. That was the worse experience of my life.” He laughed with her. “You wanna talk about bad in bed…”

“No!” she exclaimed in surprise. “The way she always went on and on about her skills in bed you’d think she was a sex goddess or something.”

He shook his head vigorously. “No! Absolutely not!” He kissed her deeply. “I thought I lost you.”

She smiled, caressing his face. “Never. You have me forever….if you want me that is.”

His smile couldn’t have gotten any bigger. “Always.” He kissed her again. 

He wrapped his arms around her and he flicked the light off. She curled into him and he curled into her, and sleep came quickly for both of them.


	33. Rogue Air

“Hey, Gracie!”

“Yeah?” she said from the kitchen of Carter’s place. 

It’d been 24 hours since they had cemented their relationship and were now enjoying the after of their night together. He walked up behind her and kissed her neck as she swayed her hips to the music that was playing in the kitchen while making something to eat.

_ She's probably somebody's only light. _ _   
_ _ Gonna shine tonight. _ _   
_ _ Yeah, she's probably somebody's baby, all right. _ _   
_ _ I heard her talkin' with her friend when she thought nobody else was around. _ _   
_ _ She said she's got to be somebody's baby; she must be somebody's baby. _ _   
_ _ Cause when the cars and the signs and the street lights light up the town, _ _   
_ _ She's got to be somebody's baby; _ _   
_ _ She must be somebody's baby; _ _   
_ _ She's got to be somebody's baby. _ _   
_ _ She's so _ _   
_ _ She's gonna be somebody's only light. _ _   
_ _ Gonna shine tonight. _ _   
_ _ Yeah, she's gonna be somebody's baby tonight. _ _   
_ _ I try to shut my eyes, but I can't get her outta my sight. _ _   
_ _ I know I'm gonna know her, but I gotta get over my fright. _ _   
_ _ We'll, I'm just gonna walk up to her. _ _   
_ __ I'm gonna talk to her tonight.

She turned in his arms and kissed him. “What’s up?”

“An old friend from college called me. He and his fiancee are going to be in town in about three weeks and I was wondering...how do you feel about being introduced to them as my girlfriend?”

She smiled and kissed him again. “Absolutely. Are these people you met in New York?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Ben’s really cool though. I think you’ll like him. His fiancee’s not as smart as you, but she’s a reporter at Glam magazine.”

She smiled and kissed him again. “Okay.” Her phone buzzed and she swiped it up. “Ooh. Cisco found something. We gotta go.”

************************

Grace and Carter walked into the Cortex and looked at everyone. “So, what’s up?”

“I found something I think you both are going to like.”

“Onward,” Carter joked. 

“I kept asking myself, why would Wells pretend to need a wheelchair?”

“Sympathy, I suppose.”

“That's what I thought at first, but he's the man in yellow. He's the Reverse-Flash. He's much smarter than that. Sympathy can't be the only reason.”

“Yeah, it was a misdirect. Just like everything else Wells has done. I mean, the last person we'd suspect to be the man in yellow is someone who lost the use of their legs.”

“That's exactly right, Joe. Which is why I started messing around with the wheelchair. And that's when I found this.”

He flipped it over and opened a panel on the wheelchair. “Damn. You can't get that at Radio Shack.”

“Looks like the tech inside Gideon,” Barry said.

Carter knelt down in front of it. Joe looked at Barry. “What’s he doing?”

Grace tilted her head to her boyfriend and looked at her dad and brother. “He’s scanning it.”

“Why?”

“To commit it to memory,” he told them as he stood. “This way when we get to thinking about it and we upgrade Gideon we’ll know how far we go.”

“I measured the output, and this thing is kicking off serious juice. I mean, we're talking enough to power all of Central City.”

“Seriously?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“What do you think Wells was using it for?”

“I think this thing is some kind of battery.”

“Battery?” 

“As in, Wells was using it to power himself. To gain more speed. And that's why he's so much faster than you.” 

“Of course!” Carter said. 

“What?”

“This isn’t about anything else but besting Barry,” Carter said. 

“Thanks, Cart, I appreciate it.”

“No, no, no. Listen. In his time, wherever he’s from you and he have been doing this for years. And for him it’s the thrill of being faster than the fastest man alive. However, that night fifteen years ago, everything changed.”

“Like what?”

He walked over to the wheelchair. “He ran out of juice.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “Holy….”

“Yeah. Think about it. Why would a speedster stick around in a time he knows nothing about for fifteen years?”

“Because he can’t go home,” Grace answered. “That last fight with you Barry, must have drained him of his powers and he had to wait. He had to wait for the accelerator to be built to make you the Flash. He helped you build your speed not for you--maybe to give a better fight when you two finally go up against each other, but so that he can….”

“Use your speed to send him back home or at least he needs to charge up enough. However I’m suspecting if he’s got this thing then he’s not quite fast enough to get that speed yet.”

A sound of a computer beeping telling them of something happening got everyone’s attention. “The accelerator, it's been reactivated.”

“It can't be.” 

“How is that possible? It blew up.”

“It had to have been rebuilt.”

“Wells.” 

“Even if he did rebuild it, how did Dr. Wells turn the Particle Accelerator on?”

Grace gasped. “He’s here! He’s in the building!”

“That's why we couldn't find him. He's been inside S.T.A.R. Labs the whole time.”

Barry, Joe, Carter, Grace and Cisco all started walking to the containment cells. “Stay here.” 

They walk down the corridors to where the explosion took place. “Cisco, what did you bring in that orange soda for?”

“Whenever something happens with the Reverse-Flash, liquid floats in the air. You know, Barry's fish tank, Wells's champagne, Lance's coffee, remember that? If this does the same thing, we'll know that Wells is in there.”

Cisco opened the container and they looked inside, left to right. The orange soda began floating but before he could really warn them the Reverse-Flash appeared and knocked Barry and Joe against the wall of the accelerator and sent Grace flying. She hit the wall hard and groaned. 

“Grace, baby, you okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m okay.” She began to stand. “Go help dad and Cisco.”

He nodded and walked inside as a computerized voice said, “Prisoner release. Protocol initiated.”

“Oh, crap,” Grace muttered. 

Shawna Baez is released. She knocks Cisco, Joe and Carter down onto the floor of the accelerator. She walks through the door, shoots out the electrical panel and takes off. She fights Grace, but because she’s still a little weak from her fight with Wells, she knocked her over and went after Caitlin. However, she was knocked out by Iris.

They put Shawna back into her pod. Grace heard something. “Wait a minute.”

“Sweetheart, what….”

“Shh…” she said. 

“HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!”

“Oh, my God! Someone’s down here! They sound weak. So really listen for him.”

Joe moved forward and moved Grace inside. Joe and Iris went down and found Eddie in the pipeline. They brought him up and Caitlin checked him out. “How did you hear it?”

She smiled and said, “Iris, I control the Earth’s elements. One of them being air. I can manipulate soundwaves. Amplify them, nullify them.”

“Wow...you’ll have to tell me all you can do.”

She nodded. “I will, when we contain the Reverse Flash.”

Barry came back complaining that he’s always so fast. “Eddie.”

“We found him in a hatch in the pipeline,” Carter told him.

“I'm so sorry. I thought I looked everywhere for you.”

“Hey, it's not your fault. Sometimes you just can't see the clues. Even if they're right in front of you.”

“Um, well, you know, all that's important is that we're all safe, and back together, right?”

“Eddie, why did he take you?”

“I don't know. He said that we're... family. Said his real name was Eobard Thawne.”

“Eobard Thawne? Just like in my dream.” 

“Did he say anything else? I mean, anything that could help us figure out what he's really after?” 

“I... he didn't say much. He just kept working on some tube.”

“A tube? What did it look like?”

“Metallic, futuristic. He said it was the key to him getting back everything that was taken from him.”

“The key? I don't understand. Wha…” 

“Yeah, I don't know. Look, I just want to go home. Is that okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I'll make sure he gets some rest.” 

“Okay.”

Grace smiled and kissed his cheek. “Feel better, Eddie.”

“Thanks, Grace.”

They waited for Eddie and Iris to leave before Cisco turned to Grace. “How did you catch up to him?”

“Who?”

“Reverse-Flash. You fought him the night you ended up in the Hydra-Tank. How did you catch up to him?”

“You caught up to him?” Barry asked.

She nodded. “But guys, he kicked my ass. I mean, I’m having training sessions with Lexy and everything, but he still kicked my ass.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Barry told her. “This could work to our advantage. How did you do?”

“I rode the air he kicked off.”

“What?”

“The air that you kick off,” she said. “When you speed off you kick out air. I can fly that air and let it catch up to you.”

Barry still looked confused. She took one of Cisco’s cameras. She stuck it to her chest. “Watch.” She looked at Barry. “Go. I’ll catch up.”

He nodded and sped off. They watched on the cam and watched as she caught up to Barry and tapped him on the shoulder. She smiled and said, “Tag your it.”

They went back to the lab. “This might work to our advantage,” Barry told her.

“How? He almost killed me.”

“We’ll double team him. You knock him out of his run and I’ll take him on.”

Because of another power alarm Cisco went down to check out what it could be and found the tube that Eddie described. “Um, are you seeing this?” He turned his camera so they could the little tube. “That's the tube Eddie was talking about. It's some sort of future power source. That's what's charging up the accelerator.”

“Are you serious?” Grace asked.

“Yeah. Carter, could you shut it down?”

“It has to be a known power source. I have no way of knowing how that works or I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

Barry looked at Cisco. “Can you shut it down?”

“Do you see a power button anywhere on this thing? Dude, this thing is from the future. It's beyond me. I press, or touch, or cut the wrong thing, I could bring the whole building down. Carter was my go to, honestly.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, Baby. It’s okay.”

“Okay. How long until it's fully functional?” 

“Best I can tell, 36 hours.” 

“That's when Wells will be back.” 

“A day and half,” Grace muttered.

Why would Wells want the Particle Accelerator to work again?” Joe asked.

“I don't know. It's not like it was such a big success the first time.”

“It did something right,” Grace said. “It made Gaia.” 

“It made me The Flash.”

“And me...Matrix...apparently.”

“That's not all it did. So what happens if the Particle Accelerator turns on while the meta-humans are in their containment cells?”

“They're toast.”

“We put them down there and now their lives are in danger because of us.”

“Look, I think you all know I've never been a fan of this arrangement here. I thought the whole plan was to rehabilitate them and set them free.”

“It was. We've been a little busy.”

“Well, if they stay in there, the die. And if we let them go, they destroy the city.”

“We're gonna have to move them.” 

“Move them where? Iron Heights can't handle meta-humans.” 

“You're right, but Lian Yu can.”

“What the hell's a “Lian Yu?”” 

“Lian Yu is the island where Oliver was stranded for five years. A.R.G.U.S built a covert military prison on it.”

“It's where we sent Captain Boomerang.” 

“Oliver keeps his worst criminals there. They won't be able to escape, and more importantly, they won't be able to hurt anybody.”

“Great. So we ship them from one illegal black site to another?” 

“Yeah, I guess so. Yes.”

“And how do we move them to Oliver's own private Alcatraz?” 

“I'll call him. Maybe he can help with transport. Grace try Lexy. We’ve discovered if Oliver can’t Lexy has seemed to be able to do anything. And Cisco... if we do this, nobody can get loose.”

Grace nodded. She pulled her phone out and dialed Lexy’s number. “Hey, Sweetheart, it’s me.” Her heart literally stop beating. “What?” She pressed a hand to her chest and collapsed into a chair. “When?” she asked, her voice immediately choked by tears. Her eyes got huge. “Oh, my God….” She hung up and looked at Joe, Caitlin, Cisco and Carter. “Lexy’s dead.”

“Wha...what?” Cisco asked.

She nodded. “That was Felicity who answered Lexy’s phone. She said something like Oliver joined the League of Assassins--”

“Wait a second. Did she call you about a skin pouch?” Carter asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“Did you build it?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Then she’s not dead.” 

“What do you mean?” Joe asked.

“Well, like us going about business as usual, Oliver, Lexy and Malcolm Merlyn are doing the same. They’ve infilterated the League of Assassins through Oliver. According to what Lexy told me, the only way that Oliver can ascend to the thrown of Ra’s Al Ghul is to kill his anchor to his old life. She asked for the skin pouch to make it look like he had killed her.”

Grace sighed. “And you’re sure?”

He nodded. “They had to make it look convincing, so…”

Grace sighed. “Oh, thank God,” she said and sighed. “That little girl is too beautiful to be let go from this world.”

They begin putting the plan in place to transport the metahumans.

**********************

Barry came back and informed Grace and Joe that their options fell through so he talked to Leonard Snart and he said he’d do it. “Are you out of your mind? What do you mean you talked to Leonard Snart?”

“I asked him for help. Barry, why would you do something so stupid?”

“Because, Joe, we have already tried everyone else. Look, you tried the CCPD. I tried Oliver. I even tried Ronnie and Dr. Stein. And the Particle Accelerator goes online in…”

“16 hours.” 

“16 hours, Joe. I'm not willing to let the metas die, and we can't let them escape, either. So, like it or not, Snart, with his cold gun, is the only one that can stop them if Cisco's transportation does not hold.”

“Then lucky for you I figured out what it is you can get me. Hello, Detective. Nice to see you again. Caitlin, Cisco. I thought about your proposal. You want my help, this is what I want. My fingerprints, dental records, DNA, criminal records, family tree, everything there is in this world concerning Leonard Snart. I want it destroyed. All of it. At CCPD, online, everywhere.” 

“The brass on this dude. You really think we'd do that for you?” Je asked. 

“I'll do it. If it's the only way, fine.”

“You and me need to talk right now.”

Barry did as Snart asked…..

*********************

Captain Cold and his sister, Lisa showed and Snart and Carter introduced themselves. They shook hands and Barry began explaining the plan to them. Carter looked around and it seemed like the world kinda spun out of control. He stumbled into one of the desks. Grace touched his shoulder. “Baby, you okay?”

“Uh...yeah,” he said. “I’m good.” He closed his eyes for a second and the world seemed to right again.

Snart looked at the two of them. “Aww...the happy couple.”

Grace glared at him. “You’re still an asshole, Snart and you can stop staring at my chest. It will never happen at least not on this planet.”

“Look, guys, we need their help if we're gonna pull this off.”

“Why are you wearing your mask? Snart already knows who you are.” 

“And I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. That includes my sister.” 

“Jerk.” 

“Trainwreck.” 

“Don't look so surprised, Detective. I am a man of my word.”

“Yeah, you better be. Or I'm gonna make sure you're on that damn plane, too.”

“Hey, dude.”

Cisco turned. 

“Have you figured out a way to get the meta-humans to the airport?” 

“I have, actually. And it's pretty dope.”

He took them all to the freezer truck he borrowed. 

“This is cool. Where'd you get this?”

“My uncle owns it. His company hauls frozen food cross country. Okay, so I retrofitted the cooling system with the wheelchair's power source to create an energy damper.”

“Which means what, exactly?”

“Basically, the back of this rig is being flooded with so much power that it's effectively creating a transient pulse strong enough to disrupt the meta-humans' powers, so we can get them to the airport and get them on a plane without them getting fresh on us. Technically, we need somebody with a Class A commercial driver's license to drive this, though.”

“I can drive it.” Everyone looked at her a little surprised. “What?”I have a Class A CDL.”

“You do?”

“We can't all be doctors.”

“All right, well, let's do this. Plane's gonna be here in two hours.”

***************************

They waited for the plane to get there. Grace looked at Carter. Who was looking very pale and everything. “Look there it is?”

They watched as it never landed, but crashed in a field. “What the hell?” Joe turned to Carter. “I thought you said everything--”

Carter collapsed. Grace gasped and fell to the floor with him. “CARTER! Baby, come on.”

Captain Cold smirked at Grace. She pressed a couple fingers to his neck, felt a pulse and charged the egotistical asshole. “You sonofabitch!” He raised his gun and she tossed it out of his hands and punched him. She put a hand on his neck and pressed her knee into his chest. “What did you give him?!”

He tempted to taunt her and she pushed more on his throat and his chest. “What did you give him?!”

Lisa looked at her. “He said it was a virus. He put it on skin graph on his hand.”

“A what?” she pressed harder. “Did you give him a computer virus?” She stood up and stomped on his groin. “Bastard.”

Cisco and Joe looked at her in shock. “Note to self, don’t piss you off.”

She turned on him and said, “If he dies I will hunt you down and torture you myself, You Cold-Hearted Sonofabitch!”

“Guys, guys, we have a problem. The damper's fluctuating. The rig's losing power. I don't know why.”

“Wait, can you do something?”

“I'm trying.”

The metas began fighting back and Barry and Grace fought them with Joe’s help. After Snart let the other metas go, he walked over to Grace and said, “It’s a temporary virus. He’ll be okay.”

She glared at him. “You better walk, Snart before I let my emotions take over and I cause a natural disaster.”

He smirked. She screamed, “GO!”

He left with his sister and she kissed Carter’s forehead and his lips. “Baby, please...don’t…”

Barry stumbled over to her. “Is he…?”

She shook her head. “No. His pulse is faint. I feel it, but Barry…” she her eyes spilled with tears.

“Okay, Cisco,” Joe said. “Let’s load him up into the van.” 

Cisco nodded. Barry stopped him. “I got him.”

“No, Barry, you--”

“He’s my brother,” Barry said. “I’ll do it.” 

He lifted Carter into his arms and carried him to the van. Grace got in and Joe slid into the driver’s seat. Joe looked through the rearview mirror. “Gracie, honey, listen to me.”

“What?”

“Did Carter ever show you anything if this ever happened?”

She halted, sniffled. “Yes! Back at the house. Keep going to the Lab. I’ll meet up with you.”

She flew out the back and went to his house. She unlocked the door and went inside, punching in the code Carter gave her. She walked into his lab and walked to a refrigerator unit. She grabbed a vial and walked out. She jumped into the air and landed at the lab just as Caitlin and Cisco were hooking him up to monitors. “I need one of those injector guns.”

Caitlin nodded and got her one. She put the vial inside and set the right setting. She shot him once in the neck, opened his shirt, shot him in the chest and then used the rest of it for his leg. She sighed. “How long did he say we had before it became ineffective?”

“Three hours,” she answered. “So we’re in the window. We just wait now.”

“For how long?”

“He said it could be anywhere from an hour to twelve.”

She looked at Caitlin. “Keep an eye on him and when he does wake up tell me. I’m going to go help my brother.”

She nodded.

*************************

“Well, I heard your prison transfer didn't go so well. I'm so sorry.” 

“All a part of your plan, I assume?”

“Actually, that didn't factor into my plan at all, but I'm impressed you went to such great lengths to keep those people from harm. Ever the hero, huh, Barry?”

“You've hurt enough people.”

“I know. You see me as the villain, but, Barry, if you were to look back, look back carefully at everything I've done, every wheel I have set in motion, you would realize I have only done what I had to do. Nothing more. Nothing less.” 

“And the Particle Accelerator? How does that fit into your grand plan?”

“Well, why don't you go on inside, and let me show you. You know, I just learned the hard way not to trust the bad guy.”

“And yet... I've shown you time and time again you can't beat me, Barry.”

There was an exhaust like boom and Firestorm landed. “Oh, you brought a friend.”

Along with an arrow sailing through the air and Oliver landed next to Barry on the other side. “Welcome, Mr. Queen.”

“Hope we're not too late.” 

“You're just in time. I don't care how fast you are. You can't fight all three of us at the same time.”

“FOUR!” Grace said and landed next to her brother. 

“Ahh...Gaia. The girl who has discovered she can fly faster than us speedsters.”

She glared at him and looked at her brother. “This started with us, Barry and as we know it ends with us.” She looked at Thawne. “There’s one thing you never ever anticipated, you arrogant Jackass.”

“What’s that?”

“You can’t outrun us, not when we work together.”

“Oh, I can't? Trust me. This... This is gonna be fun.”

Grace looked at Oliver and Ronnie. “Remember the plan?”

“Yep,” they said in unison. 

She pushed into the air while Barry and Thawne fought. Oliver shot him with an arrow full of nanonites. And Firestorm fired at him and Grace froze him at his feet. She landed on the ground. He stopped vibrating and she walked up to him and punched hard. “That’s for my mother you insufferable asshole.” He came back up and she hit him again. “That’s for sending my father to Jail!” He came back up, she punched him again. “That’s for making us trust you!” 

“I think you broke his nose,” Ronnie said.

She smirked. “He’s a speedster. They heal fast.”

Oliver got in there and began fighting Thawne himself. He shook the nanonites out of his system and Barry tackled him before he could kill Oliver. However as Barry raced around with him, Ronnie and Oliver implemented the rest of the plan and this time they got him. 

Reverse-Flash as been caught!

“Grace.”

She tapped her earpiece. “Yes?”

“Carter’s awake.”

She sighed in relief. “Thank God.” She looked at Barry. “Your little brother’s gonna be okay.”

He smiled. “Good. Then we have 2 things to celebrate tonight.”

Oliver looked at Barry. “I might need a favor from you.”

“Whenever, wherever.”

He nodded and both men left. Grace sighed. “Arms or legs?”


	34. Fast Enough

She and Barry carried him inside. Grace went to Carter and smiled. “Hey, Handsome.”

“There she is,” he said softly and kissed her. 

“You scared me,” she said, pressing her forehead to his.

“You remembered what I told you,” he kissed her again, “Good job, baby.”

She smiled. “I do listen when you talk, Carter.” She then straddled him on the bed. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“We got him.”

He kissed her passionately. “That’s great, baby! Sorry I wasn’t there to see it.”

She smiled and kissed him again. “If you weren’t sick you’d so be getting laid right now.”

He laughed and kissed her. “At home.”

She smiled. She liked the sounds of that. ‘Home’. She kissed him softly. 

********************

Barry stared at Thawne, waiting for his sister. 

“What? No Big Belly Burger? It's one of the few perks of living in this time. We're out of cows where I come from. You don't care about that. You have questions. Go ahead.”

“Not sure where to start... Thawne. That is your real name... Eobard Thawne.” 

“Since the day I was born.”

“And when was that?” 

“136 years from now. That's not what you want to know. Go ahead, Barry. Ask it.”

Barry opened his mouth to ask, but Grace said it as she walked to him. “Why did you kill our mother?”

“Because I hate your brother. Not your brother now. You years from now.” 

“In the future.” 

“In a future. Yes. We're enemies, rivals, opposites, reverses of one another.”

“Why? Wh-why were we enemies?”

“It doesn't matter. It doesn't... matter anymore. What matters is that neither of us was strong enough to defeat the other. Until I learned your secret. I learned your name. Barry Allen. And finally, I knew how to defeat you once and for all. Travel back in time, kill you as a child. Wipe you from the face of the earth. But then you, future you, that is, followed me back, and we fought. We both landed some pretty solid shots. And then you, future you, got your younger self out of there. I was so mad. But then I thought... what if you were to suffer a tragedy? What if you were to suffer something so horrible, so traumatic that your child self could never recover? Then you would not become The Flash. And so I stabbed your mother in the heart, and I was free. Finally able to return to a future without The Flash, only to realize that in traveling back I'd lost my way home. Lost my ability to harness the speed force. And without it, I was stuck here. Stranded in this time, unable to return to my own. And the only way back was The Flash. But The Flash was gone, and so I created him.”

“Why train me? Why help me save so many people?”

“Because I needed you to get fast. Fast enough to rupture the space-time barrier and create a stable wormhole through which I could return home.”

“Why would I ever do that?”

“Because…Barry Allen, if you give me what I want, I'm gonna give you what you want. You can go back and save your mother. You can prevent your father from going to prison. You can reunite the Allen family.” 

“No. No, I don't believe you. I want to kill you right now.”

“I know that rage. I used to feel that rage every time I looked upon you. And now, somehow, I know what Joe and Henry feel when they look on you with pride. With love.”

“No,” Grace said. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to act like--”

“No. No. Don't you ever say that to me!”

“I know you're upset, but I'm giving you a chance. I'm giving you a chance to undo all the evil I've done. Don't you want that chance?”

They walked out. Barry told everyone what Wells said, but it was Stein who spoke. “The rare opportunity to go back in time and right a wrong and save your mother's life... quite the paradox Harrison has presented you with, Mr. Allen.”

“The chance to be with someone you love? Seems pretty cut and dry to me.” 

“At first blush, Dr. Snow, it would appear so, but this gift has unparalleled risk. Barry, the night your mother died, the night you saved yourself from being killed, that event altered the timeline you were already on and changed the course of history.”

“So what you're saying is we're living in a parallel universe?”

“Just like when I time traveled before.”

“But he... he only changed one day that time.”

“Exactly. Now imagine 15 years of compounded experiences. One different decision, no matter how big or small, impacts everything that follows. Moments upon moments, choices upon choices. No relationships, nothing would be as it is today, and you'd never know the difference because you'd never remember any of it.”

Grace looked at her brother. She couldn’t believe it. He was considering it. 

“So if I go back and save our mom, our dad doesn't go to prison. We never live with Joe and Iris.”

“You might never meet me. Or Caitlin or Ronnie.”

“Truth is, there's no real way of knowing what your life will be.”

“There's no choice here, Barry. You have to do this. You gotta change the past.” 

Barry exchanged a look with Grace. And they both walked into the room. Grace was actually curious why he was insistent.

“Joe? So what... what, that's it? You think I should just do it?” 

“Yeah, I do.” 

“Which means I will never come to live with you, and... you're okay with that? Barry, you get the chance to grow up with both parents. You don't have to grow up without a mother.”

“What about growing up without a father?”

“You will have a father... your real father. Wells has messed with our lives long enough. This is why you became The Flash, Barry. To put things right. You saved a lot of people's lives this past year. Now it's time to save yours.”

Grace’s mind was wheeling. “No.”

“What?”

“I said no,” Grace said. “This isn’t just your decision, Barry.”

“Grace, listen, I--”

“This isn’t  _ just  _ your decision, Barry. That night changed my life too. I lost my mother and my father just like you did. But you’re not the only one that should make the decision.”

“Grace--”

“No, Barry. We may have lost mama and daddy, but we gained something too that night. At least I did,” she said. She licked her lips as she tried to not burst crying. “I got a sister...and a second dad. I don’t even remember what mom and dad were like as parents, Barry.” She shrugged. “So, I don’t think it would really matter to me anyway if I got them back.” She shook her head. “That’s not to say I don’t miss them every single day because I do. I loved mom. More than anything. I love daddy, but you can’t ask me to give up what I gained from that night too. But go ahead and do what you’re gonna do. Sounds like to me that you and Joe have it all figured it out as it is,” she said and walked off. 

“Grace…..”

***********************

Barry went to go see their dad. “Dad, look. I know this sounds crazy.”

“I think we're way past crazy, slugger. Look, you're fast, I get it. But turning back time…”

“No, I wouldn't be turning time back. I would be... going back to that night to save her.”

“And what does Joe think about all this?”

“He thinks I should do it.”

“What about your sister?”

He dropped his eyes to the table. Henry sighed. “Bartholomew Henry Allen. You didn’t even consider what your sister would be gaining or losing in all this did you?”

“Dad, we’d be a family again. I thought she’d want that.”

He sighed. “No, Barry, that’s what you want. You need to consider your sister in this too. Her entire world changed just like ours. Why don’t you ask why she doesn’t want what you want.”

“She told me.”

“What did she say?”

“That it wasn’t because she didn’t love you and mom, but because I’d be asking her to give up what she gained that night.”

Henry smiled. “I bet if you asked her, and really sat down and listened she’d tell you the other reason. The real reason she doesn’t want anything to change.” He looked at his son. “No. You can't.”

“Dad... I can make it so that night will never have happened. We'll be a family again.”

“We are a family.”

“Not like this. Not without Mom.” 

“Barry, there's a natural order to things, okay? Things happen the way they do. We may not know why at the time, but there must always be a reason. Now, I believe that. I've had to believe it.”

“I... I can save Mom.”

At what cost? You said time would change. What if it changes you?” 

“I don't care. I do. I am in awe of the remarkable man that you are becoming... all the things you've achieved, and not just as The Flash, but you, Barry. Your honesty. Your heart. You were always a hero. And your mom would be just as proud. And if she had a say in this, if she thought for one second that you going back to save her would mean you losing what makes you so special, she would never want that.” Barry started crying.

“Barry, what I hope for you, maybe the greatest thing that a father can hope for his son is that one day, you will become a father yourself. And then you will know...how much I truly love you and your sister. You two have been the light in my life I never knew I was missing until you were here.”

************************

Grace looked down at the pendant in fingers and ran her thumb over the word brother. How could he even think after everything she gained in the last 15 years that she’d ever want to go back? She looked out on the water and sighed. 

“There you are.”

She looked over her shoulder and sighed. “Yep.”

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

She shook her head indifferently. “It didn’t seem like you needed me around to make the decision that would change our lives, Barry. So….I’m here thinking.”

He walked to the railing of the waterfront walking bridge. He leaned on it. “What about?”

“My life…..mom, daddy...Joe...Iris...you...us.”

“Us?”

Her chin quivered with unshed tears filling her eyes as she said, “Yeah, us.”

“What about us?”

“That night changed us, Barry.”

“I know it did, Gracie.”

“No, you don’t...or maybe you don’t care. But it changed how you looked at me.”

“What?”

“I became important to you.”

“Grace, you’ve always been important to me.”

“No I haven’t!” she yelled. “Not really. I became important in a way I had always hoped to, not just ‘your sister’. I became your best friend. You’ve always been my hero...since I could remember. But that night… (sob) “....I wasn’t just...your annoying little sister. The one who was ‘too smart for her own good’.” She gave a watery laugh when she saw the shocked look on his face. “Didn’t think I heard you and Iris say that about me, did you?”

She sighed. “Why do you think Carter and I became so close from the age of four to right before mom died?” She exhaled. “Because to you, I was just your shadow. An annoying pest.”

She exhaled. “That night….not only did I gain a sister and another, but I gained a brother. One who actually saw  **_me_ ** and I love--”

“Grace, we’ll always--”

“You don’t know that!” she exclaimed. “You have no idea at all if we’d get closer as we got older.” She sighed. “I don’t want to lose you, Barry. You mean the world to me. The relationship we have means everything to me.” She sighed. “I just didn’t know it didn’t mean anything to you.”

“Grace, don’t do that. It does. You mean everything to me--”

“If that was true even for a second you wouldn’t have to change anything.” Knowing there wasn’t anyone around she pushed herself into the air. 

“GRACE!”

***************

Barry was standing on the CCPN roof looking out into the skyrise. 

“Thought I might find you here.” 

“I needed to get out of the lab.” He sighed. “I thought this would be a good place to think.”

“Oh, it is. Trust me. I've done a lot of thinking up here. When I wasn't having clandestine meetings with the mysterious "streak’.” 

“Yeah, not mad we lost that name.”

“Hey, I thought that had pizzazz.”

They both laugh again. 

“No.” 

“Uh-uh.” She looked at him. “So are you gonna do it? It's just so...huge. It's the biggest decision of my life, and if I'm wrong, I can't undo it.”

“Why would you want to? I mean, you'd get to see your mom again, your dad, have a great career, even get married. Iris West-Allen, huh? I never really thought of myself as a hyphenator. Must be a 2024 thing.” 

“We don't know that that's going to happen.”

“Do you think that because you didn't live with us, that's why things are different there?”

“Growing up together and... knowing so much about each other... it made it hard for me to admit how I felt about you. And I waited too long, and you fell in love with Eddie. But living with you and Joe... I've had a great life, Iris.”

“Come here, Barry.” They hug.

“My sister’s mad at me.”

She nodded. “Dad told me that.” She sniffled. “Did you find out why?”

He nodded. “Because she thinks she’ll lose me.”

“How? You’re her brother.”

“That’s the thing. To Grace, I wasn’t.” He sighed. “Do you remember that day when I vented to you about her how annoying she was and how sometimes I wish she had never been born and that we both agreed that she was too smart for her own good?”

She nodded. 

“She heard us,” he admitted. “She told me...just now. And I could tell it hurt her feelings, Iris. It really did.”

“We were kids, Barry.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s my little sister.” He sighed. “She thinks if I change the last fifteen years that I’ll go back to being that way toward her and I’m not exactly sure if she’d be wrong.” He sighed. “What do you think I should do? I need someone to tell me.”

“I think... that for once in your life, Barry Allen, you should stop thinking about other people. I think you should do what's in your heart. Do what you need to do for yourself.”

He sighed. “Do you realize I hadn’t even thought of Grace in my thoughts about this? That night changed her entire world too and yet, I didn’t even think about what she wanted. I never thought to ask her. I just thought she’d want the same thing.”

“Doesn’t she?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. To her, she gained three things that night. You, Joe and...me. She doesn’t want to go back and change all that.”

*******************

Grace exhaled as she listened to everyone go on and on about Barry’s decision to do this. He was actually going to change that night, despite knowing how she felt about it. Did it even matter? Didn’t the last 15 years of their friendship mean anything to him? 

“According to Wells' calculations, Barry super-speeds inside the accelerator ring. Once Barry reaches optimum speed, we then launch a hydrogen proton into the accelerator. Once the collision happens, a wormhole forms, opening a gateway into time itself. It's at that moment I plan on shouting something along the lines of "Eureka" or possibly "Excelsior." I'm uncommitted.”

“What do you think?”

Cisco sighed. “I mean, on the one hand, it does make a kind of sense. On the other hand, why? Why, why would you ever consider doing this?”

“You know why.”

“So, for this to actually work, how fast would Barry have to go?” 

“By my estimates, Mach Two at a minimum.” 

“You've never gone that fast.”

“So what happens if Barry doesn't reach that speed? I mean, I'm imagining a bug hitting a windshield. How far off am I?” 

“Not very far, I'm afraid.”

“Let me worry about how fast I have to go.”

“Because obviously, you’re not worrying about anything else,” she said bitterly.

“We're gonna need something else too.”

“Really? And what's that? 'Cause I don't know about you guys, but I'm not at all interested in helping you get yourself killed.” 

“I need you to build a time machine.” 

“Go on.”

“I’m not going to be here for this,” she said. She tossed the necklace across the table at Barry. “Here. You might want that back. Then again it may disappear once you fix everything.” 

“Grace--”

“No, Barry, don’t. Obviously, you missed something about then, besides, mom and dad that’s making you decide this, because I can tell you one thing there’s nothing about you and I that I want back from then.” She waved her hands. “So, take your trinket and figure out something else with it, because if this does work and you don’t die then I have this sinking feeling you will never give it to me anyway.” She looked at Joe. “And thanks for having my back...dad. I appreciate it.”

“Grace, that’s not fair.”

“Fair?!” she screamed. “You wanna talk about fair? How fair do you think it will be to rip my entire world from me again, huh? No one knew Barry back then. Hell, no one knew Iris back then. They were both mean to me.” She brushed it off when Joe opened his mouth. “Oh, I know, they were just kids. What did they know? How was Barry supposed to know that I heard everything he said about me that day? Or even Iris? He ignored me half the time when Iris was around anyway.”

“Grace--”

“I’m not finished. I never knew you hated me until that day. I never knew I was really truly that annoying to you until that day. I didn’t know that me following you around the way I did made you mad. I never knew you wished mom and dad never had me!” She wiped her tears away. “Do you have any idea how it feels to know that your big brother despised your existence when you were six years old?” She waved her hands. “But please, go make your life easier for yourself, but don’t you dare ask me later why we were never close!”

She walked out and Carter began walking out after her. He stopped. “No one bothered to take into account what Grace’s life was like then, did they? You know Barry, I hope you’re happy with your life after you fix everything because you won’t have your sister and that’ll be your loss.”

*********************

After Barry was told that there was another risk if he went back into time---that he would create a wormhole that could destroy the City--he knew he had to call his sister. He sighed and looked at Joe. “Do you think she’d answer? I mean she was pretty upset.”

He nodded. “I never knew you were that mean to her. Or that you had said those things about her. Why did you do it?”

“I was mad. I don’t exactly remember what I was mad about, but I remember it was directed toward her. And as always I vented to Iris. I didn’t know she heard it. I never meant for her to hear it.”

“So, because I wasn’t meant to hear it, does it make it any less true? That you didn’t actually hate me or wished I never existed?”

“Of course not, Grace.” He sighed. “I was nine. I know you hate when I say that, but it’s true. I loved you. And I know if I do decide to do this or not, that my love for you won’t change.” He sighed. “Our friendship, our relationship might.”

“But that’s what I don’t want to change. I love having you as my best friend. You know from the time I was eight until today I’ve always told people I have three best friends--my brother, my sister, and Carter.”

“Did you find out yet?”

She nodded. “I know the decision I’d make it and this isn’t with personal feelings. You’d kill innocent people to make yourself happy.”

“It’s a risk, not a probability.”

“However, is it a risk you wanna take?”

************************************

Everyone was saying goodbye to him. Grace wasn’t entirely sure she wanted a goodbye, but if this was what Barry wanted then she’d do it. She walked up to her brother and kissed his cheek. “I know you won’t remember this, but I love you. And I really and truly hope you find what is that you want, Big Brother, because you can’t fix it.”

He nodded. “I love you too, Kiddo.” He kissed her forehead. “So much.”

When it was time they prepared Thawne in the time machine they had built and sent him off. Joe, Grace, Carter, and Cisco watched as he lifted off. As he was about to be lifted into the wormhole, Barry burst through and broke the time machine. The force of it sent, Joe, Cisco, Grace, and Carter flying too. Grace picked herself up as Carter did the same. “Barry? Wha…?”

“You didn't save her. Why?” Wells yelled. “Why? You could have had the life you wanted. You could have had everything you ever wanted!” 

He stands, looks at Grace and then at Wells. “I already do.” 

“Not for long.”

“Just so we're clear, after I kill you, I'm going to kill them. And then I'm going to kill your father. I always win, Flash.” 

A gunshot rang through the room. Grace turned. “EDDIE!” She rushed to him just as Joe got to him and they both lowered him to the floor. “What did you do? What did you do? What did you do?”

“No such thing as a coincidence.”

“What's happening?”

“Eddie's his ancestor. If Eddie dies, he'll never be born, and... He's being erased from existence.”

Grace looked down into his face. “Why would you do that?”

No! No! Eddie.” She knelt down beside him. “Eddie, no, no. Stay with me, okay? Stay.” She began to cry.

“He was wrong, it turns out. I'm a hero after all.”

“You are, Eddie. You are my hero.”

“That's all I ever wanted to be. Your hero.”

They watched as the last bit of life drained from Eddie.

“No!”

“Oh, God…” Grace said before she started to cry herself.

Grace looked up to see a blue ball begin to build strength. “What the hell is that?”

“Guys, that's not good,” Cisco said.

Professor, I shut down the wormhole. What's happening?” Caitlin asked.

“I don't know. You did close it, but it seems to be reopening.”

“We got to go,” Ronnie told Caitlin before they ran.

“Iris, we have to go,” Barry told her. 

“I'm not leaving him.” 

“We have to go now, honey. I'm sorry.” 

Grace took Carter’s hand and he ran for the door too. They all got outside. 

“So that's what we didn't want to happen.”

“What's it doing?” 

“Feeding.” 

“A singularity won't stop, not even after the earth is gone.”

Barry decides that he has to try and stop it. He put his hood up and felt a hand go around his wrist. He looked and Grace said, “You’re not doing it alone.”

“I can’t let you, Gracie, I’m sorry.”

“Barry! I can fly faster than you can run!”

“But how are you going to create all of what is needed to stop this?”

She sighed. She hugged him. “Come home, okay? Please.”

“I promise.”

They watched as he gained speed going upwards….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that is where I'm ending it for now. I am going on an extended hiatus for awhile. I hope you all enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are always welcome
> 
> I'M GOING TO DO A COMPLETE REWRITE OF THIS STORY. THINKING ABOUT IT NOW. I REALLY HATE WHAT I DID TO CISCO. SO, PLEASE STAND BY AS I REWRITE THE STORY.


End file.
